Here is a ballpoint pen sketch I recently created, depicting Swedish guitar legend Yngwie J. Malmsteen during his November concert performance at the Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center!
Taking place two nights before Thanksgiving, this was my first time seeing Yngwie live…Excellent concert! Before a wall of Marshalls, Yngwie brought the expected guitar fireworks, from volatile and detailed full-speed shredding and arpeggios to intricate and softer classical interludes, and everything in between! Just watching his fingers move on the strings was mesmerizing unto itself! And he was the showman as well, working the stage, doing all the axe hero acrobatics such as playing behind his back and neck, with his teeth, whipping his guitar around himself, tossing guitar picks out after nearly every song and more! Yngwie and his band did some numbers off his latest album, “Parabellum,” as well as “The Seventh Sign,” “You Don’t Remember, I’ll Never Forget” and many more. He also did a guitar version of the “Star Spangled Banner,” as well as his version of Deep Purple’s “Smoke on the Water.” For his encore, Yngwie started out playing on acoustic guitar, which eventually built up to his switch back to electric guitar and the full band version of his popular instrumental “Black Star” to finish the night.
Besides seeing Yngwie for the first time, this was also the first chance I had to see both opening bands…Images Of Eden frontman Gordon Tittsworth has been a guest on the “Homegrown Rocker” four times since 2004, and this was the first time I got to witness him and Images Of Eden live, as they have been touring with Yngwie and were the middle band of this night’s triple-band bill. Gordon, drummer Steve Dorssom, guitarist Victor Morell, bassist Eric Mulvaine and keyboardist Dean Harris were clearly fired up to be playing before this central PA crowd, and brought the energy and intensity with their progressive-edged brand of rock and metal. Images Of Eden did several songs from their latest album, “Angel Born” – including “My Promise,” “Serenity Reign” (with guest Michael Wolff joining in on acoustic guitar) and their popular update of Triumph’s classic “Fight the Good Fight”; they also did a couple of numbers off their previous “Soulrise” album. Gordon’s voice displayed passion, range and edge as he belted his words and addressed the crowd between songs, and Images Of Eden’s instrumental execution was fiery, tight and intense. They energized this crowd, and I came away amazed as well – I hope to see Images Of Eden in action again sometime soon.
Opening the night was Brooklyn, New York-based power trio Sunlord. Frontman and guitarist Al Ferrazza, bassist Emilio Martinez and drummer Griffin McCarthy brought an aggressive, hard-driving metal sound that hinted at Motorhead with a more doom-metal leaning. With his coarse and gravelly growl up front, Al led Sunlord on a set of original numbers, including the crowd-captivating “Do Your Push Up,” “The Forbidden Witch” and more. Their scathing and relentless presentation set the hard-hitting tone for the night, and provided the opening spark for this concert.
Again, I’m glad the planets aligned and I could get out of town on a Tuesday night to bear witness to this concert. It was well worth the road trip!