Some concerts begin when the lights go down and the first note rings out. Others, instead, begin many hours earlier, during the journey, while waiting outside a venue, chatting with people you have just met or greeting familiar faces seen beneath other stages. For me, Xandria’s show at the Legend Club in Milan definitely belongs to the second category.

Milan is the only Italian stop on the Eclipse European Tour, a highly anticipated date that brings Xandria back to our country as headliners. It is a beautiful early-October day, with temperatures still pleasantly mild, and I arrive at the venue well ahead of the doors opening. A few people are already there and, little by little, the small group begins to grow. The wait becomes an integral part of the day: we talk about music, make new acquaintances, meet familiar faces again and, inevitably, discuss what awaits us on stage a few hours later. It is one of the best aspects of concerts, and perhaps also one of those we too often forget to talk about.

As doors draw closer, however, it is also time to start thinking about work. There is no photo pit at the Legend Club and, for anyone who needs to shoot, the choice is practically inevitable: secure a spot in the front row and make the most of it. It is a position that inevitably limits movement during the performances, but at least provides a privileged view of what is about to happen on stage.

Opening the evening are TULIP, faced with the not always easy task of breaking the ice in front of an audience that, despite the early hour, responds from the very first notes.
The band immediately proves to be well prepared and enjoyable to listen to, with a particularly convincing performance on the vocal front. Ashleigh Semkiw’s voice stands out as one of the most interesting elements of the set, backed by a solid band that looks completely at ease on stage.
Their performance is unfortunately penalised to some extent by the mix: especially during the opening moments, not everything comes through with the definition it deserves and some elements inevitably get lost. It is a shame, because beyond the sound issues TULIP show plenty of quality and leave the impression of being a band that deserves a deeper listen.

TULIP Setlist:

• Texas

• The Fall

• The Witch

• Midnight in the Desert

• Ghost of Kyiv

• Lost Boy

• Clone

Meanwhile, the crowd is already beginning to warm up. And if TULIP have the task of getting things started, with the next band the temperature inside the Legend is about to rise considerably.

Because now it is time for Seven Spires. This is not my first encounter with the American band: I had already seen Seven Spires live in 2023, and that night they left an excellent impression on me. Milan brings confirmation, perhaps even more convincing than the first time. Although I still do not know their catalogue in depth, it takes only a few minutes to rediscover an extremely tight and energetic band, capable of giving their music considerable weight on stage. It is inevitable, however, that much of the attention is drawn to Adrienne Cowan. Reducing her performance to technical ability alone would actually be limiting. The ease with which she moves from growls to clean vocals, sometimes within just a few moments, is impressive, but even more striking is the way she interprets what she sings. Adrienne does not seem merely to perform the songs: she interprets every single word, accompanying it with expressions, movements and changes of register that become an integral part of the narrative.

The theatrical component is obvious, but never an end in itself. It serves the songs and the emotions they are meant to convey. During one of the most evocative moments of the set, voice and guitar almost seem to merge: Adrienne’s vocal phrasing appears to chase the notes of the instrument until, for a few moments, it becomes part of the same solo. One of those little live moments that completely captures your attention even when you do not know every note by heart.

And it would be unfair to reduce Seven Spires to Adrienne Cowan alone. Around her is a tight, precise and highly energetic band, capable of supporting her interpretation without the performance ever losing its cohesion. The interaction with the audience is equally well balanced: no endless pauses or contrived speeches, just enough to maintain constant contact with a crowd that responds enthusiastically.

Creating a further link between the first two bands of the evening is the return of TULIP’s Ashleigh Semkiw, who joins Seven Spires on stage for two songs. The meeting of the two frontwomen adds even more variety to a performance that, minute by minute, wins over even those who may have come to the Legend mainly for the headliners.

When Seven Spires leave the stage, the feeling is that we have witnessed something far more significant than a simple support set. For me, still needing to explore much of their discography, this second live performance is above all confirmation that the time has come to do exactly that.

Seven Spires Setlist:

• A Fortress Called Home

• Songs Upon Wine-Stained Tongues

• Almosttown

• Succumb

• Lightbringer

• Love's Souvenir

• Wanderer's Prayer

• Gods of Debauchery

• Through Lifetimes

By now, however, the wait is almost over. The stage is prepared for the headliners and the crowd presses even closer towards the front rows. After two excellent performances, the moment has finally arrived for the band many of those in attendance came to the Legend Club to see that night.

After the changeover, it is finally time for Xandria. The lights go down to the notes of “Syzygy” and Taki takes his place behind the drums, soon joined by Rob Klawonn and Marco Heubaum. The introduction flows directly into “Eclipse” and, over the opening bars of the song, Ambre Vourvahis also arrives on stage, immediately welcomed by the Legend crowd. It is a highly effective opening: “Syzygy” sets the atmosphere and the title track of the new album follows seamlessly, immediately giving the show a decidedly powerful character.

Xandria appear in their current four-piece configuration, with Marco on bass and Rob as the sole guitarist. For anyone familiar with the band’s arrangements, the difference is noticeable: in certain passages the absence of a second guitar inevitably leaves a little more space in the sound, and personally I would have appreciated its presence. It is, however, a detail that does not compromise the overall result, because the band sounds excellent and still manages to retain strength and cohesion. Rob handles the guitar work with great confidence, while Marco on bass and Taki form a solid rhythm section throughout the show.

The sound is also very good. The orchestrations are clearly present and distinguishable without taking space away from the instruments, while guitar and bass remain well defined and Ambre’s voice always finds its place in the mix. For Xandria this balance is fundamental: much of their music lives precisely in the meeting between the metal and symphonic components, and when all these elements can emerge clearly, even the richest arrangements take on another dimension live.

A significant part of the evening is naturally devoted to “Eclipse”, and rightly so. The new album sits at the heart of the show, and the songs chosen to represent it confirm on stage just how strong this new chapter in Xandria’s discography is. The title track opens the concert with great impact, “Colours”, “The Grand Delusion” and “Northstar” work extremely well, while “The Last Generation” is undoubtedly one of the most intense moments of the entire performance. It is a complex and vocally demanding song, but Ambre tackles it with great confidence, moving from clean passages to more aggressive ones and showing how the different sides of her voice have now become an integral part of the band’s sound.

Among the songs from Eclipse is also “The Shannon’s Home”, which perfectly retains its character live and provides one of the most evocative moments of the concert. In the finale, Rob also uses the acoustic guitar placed on its stand, a detail that helps preserve the different nuances of the original arrangement. Overall, the new album’s material never feels like merely the “obligatory” part of the setlist tied to the tour: these are songs that have already found a live dimension of their own and that I personally consider among the strongest points of the show.

Alongside Eclipse, the set naturally also makes room for different eras of Xandria’s history. “Reborn” and “Two Worlds”, both from The Wonders Still Awaiting, already belong to the band’s current era and allow Ambre to use the full range of her vocal characteristics, including growls. When the set reaches further back into the past, the type of interpretation inevitably changes as well: “Ravenheart” remains a sure-fire highlight and is immediately embraced by the audience, while Ambre approaches the older repertoire by respecting its identity while bringing her own tone and sensitivity to it.

For me, however, the most emotionally powerful moment comes with “Forevermore”. It is the song I feel most connected to of all, and having the chance to hear it live for the second time is something truly special. I had already experienced it in Munich in 2023, with this same line-up, but hearing it again takes nothing away from the emotion. When a song means that much, the first few notes are enough to bring everything else with them. Once again, the emotion is overwhelming, and a few tears inevitably fall.

On stage we see a line-up that is by now thoroughly well established. Ambre, Marco, Rob and Taki have been playing together for years, and the natural way they interact is simply a consequence of that. Marco and Rob often joke with each other, Ambre joins in, and more generally this is a band that knows exactly how to move together, maintaining precision in the performance without sacrificing spontaneity.

After “Reborn” it is time for the farewells and Xandria temporarily leave the stage. From the front rows a chant of “one more song!” begins – and here I can take a small share of the responsibility – and is quickly picked up by the rest of the Legend. The band plays along and returns shortly afterwards for the encore. First comes “Valentine”, still capable of unleashing an impressive amount of power live, and then it is time for “Nightfall”. One of Xandria’s signature songs could only receive a huge response: the crowd sings along with the band and accompanies the final minutes of a show lasting around an hour and a half, right up to the last note.

Xandria Setlist:

• Syzygy

• Eclipse

• Colours

• Ravenheart

• Universal

• The Shannon's Home

• Forevermore

• The Grand Delusion

• Two Worlds

• The Last Generation

• Northstar

• Reborn

• Valentine

• Nightfall

Final Thoughts:

Overall, the setlist presented at the Legend Club is a very respectable one. With a discography spanning almost thirty years, it is inevitable that many songs have to be left out, and everyone could probably draw up their own list of tracks they would have liked to hear. Personally, I am more than satisfied with the choices made, especially with the large amount of space given, quite rightly, to “Eclipse”, an album I consider a true masterpiece and one that proved on stage that it has a great deal to say.

In terms of performance, there is very little to criticise about Xandria: the band sounds fantastic and Ambre delivers an excellent vocal performance. The task is far from simple, because within the same concert she has to move through very different eras of the band’s history, from songs written for other voices to the more recent material, where she can fully exploit all of her vocal characteristics. The result is convincing precisely because she does not try to erase those differences, but instead brings her own personality into the repertoire.

The Legend is not completely full, but that does not prevent the audience from being warm and engaged throughout the evening. Many have also come for Seven Spires, but during Xandria’s set there is plenty of singing and the response remains strong right through to the finale of “Nightfall”. After around an hour and a half, the feeling is that we have witnessed a concert capable of doing justice both to the band’s history and to the moment they are living through today.

TULIP opened the evening showing excellent qualities despite a mix that did not always do them justice; Seven Spires once again confirmed themselves as an exceptional live band; Xandria, finally, closed the night with a top-level show and a new album that has absolutely no need to live in the shadow of the classics.

After almost thirty years of discography, having to leave something behind is inevitable. What matters is walking out of the venue satisfied with what you have heard. And this time, I left the Legend very, very happy.