Live report AXXIS & VICE, Logo, Hamburg – 05.10.2019

German Melodic Metal veterans Axxis have a jubilee to celebrate. The band is around for three decades, for sure a moment for a “little look back” and Bernhard Weiß and bandmates wouldn’t be Axxis if they wouldn’t celebrate together with fans.

One of the shows of the ’30 years’-tour takes place at Logo in Hamburg. The Logo is one of the smaller venues in the Hansestadt with a special feature – a pillar in the middle of the stage. However, pillar inspires for some jokes and the Logo is for sure the right location for an exciting Saturday night party.

Before Axxis enters the stage it’s Vice from Munich that go without Oktoberfest this year and starts instead the heat in autumnally Hamburg. The room is already filled very well when the Bavarian quartet enters the stage. Listening to Vice on records is one thing, seeing them on stage is another experience. None of the longplayers belongs to the real thrilling ones in Rock history, but as soon as they are on stage things change. The songs tonight reflect ‘classics’ like ‘Made For Pleasure’, the title track from the debut, with new tracks like ‘Fuck You’ reflecting the current sound of the band, Vice brings quite some energy into the Logo with fans enjoying what they get offered. Vice live, that the right music for a Saturday night, with the effect of a real temperature increase in the small venue. After 50 minutes no one at Logo has a doubt that the party is up and running.

After a short stage reset Axxis starts their party featuring song that reflect the early years. The quintet plays a real oldschool set that covers the first four albums only. Certainly not a surprise that the debut contributes with the biggest part of songs. ‘Living in a World’, ‘Kingdom of the Night’ and ‘Love is Like an Ocean’ are timeless Metal hymns, turning the venue into a madhouse.

The Axxis birthday party starts right away with ‘Rolling Like Thunder’. Weiß and band wins over fans with the first note played, starting into a two show that doesn’t include a weak spot.

Next to the well-chosen setlist with great song it’s the bandleader not only being a great singer. Weiß is a great entertainer too, being in constant contact with fans. Next to his singing he has some narrator skills also. In between songs some stories are shared by the singer, talking about the start of the band and him being a real metaller with roots in the Ruhrgebiet steel industries plus some more anecdotes out of 30 years of Axxis.

A highlight for sure is the acoustic part of the set. It’s not only the two songs (‘Ships are Sailing’ and ‘Touch the Rainbow’) giving things a special touch. The highlight is Luca, an 11 years old kid that stands in the front row with parents. After a first “from stage to audience”-conversation Weiß asks the kid to get up on stage and it is the young fans doing the tambourine during ‘Touch the Rainbow’. It’s these moments that show why Axxis is so popular, esp. in their home country. These guys get one with their fans during a show and fans reward the approach and attitude with great applause. There isn’t a much better way to spend a Saturday night.