I’ve always liked GOTTHARD even though I didn’t follow their career closely. Let’s just say that I loved their big hits and that the two gigs I’d seen had been amazing – 99% due Steve Lee‘s voice and charisma. So yes, I shed a few tears when he died, already four years ago. But that wasn’t the reason why I hadn’t listened to Nic Maeder until this show; Steve was unique, true, but that didn’t mean Nic couldn’t be unique too. It just never happened. So it really made me happy that HARDCORE SUPERSTAR were touring with them, giving me the chance to finally check GOTTHARD post-Steve. And damn, are they doing well! I found myself rocking away even to the songs that I didn’t know. For two hours!

They started and finished the way their latest album does (without the bonus tracks, that is) – the intro “Let Me In Katie” plus the title-track “Bang!”, and “Thank You”, which was suitable as a message, but not as powerful as a song like the previous “Anytime, Anywhere” was. That’s probably my favorite GOTTHARD song, although there are a few ballads that touch me deep inside. “Heaven”, for instance, that brought a big wave of emotion over me that night, or “One Life, One Soul”, that Leo Leoni dedicated to those loved ones who aren’t among us anymore…

They invited to the stage a bunch of boys and girls (although at first the security guys were allowing just girls – go figure…) to sing the choruses of “Starlight”, but also the Spanish singer Carmen María Fraile showed up there, making a duet with Nic.

I confess I wasn’t expecting such an amazing show. Along with the equally amazing performances of RECKLESS LOVE and HARDCORE SUPERSTAR (quoting a friend of mine, “someone should warn them that support bands are supposed to warm up things, not melt them down!”), it was definitely a rock’n’roll night to remember.

www.gotthard.com

For Steve.