Sep 24 min read

Powerwolf sells out the Ogden in Theater in Denver, Colorado months before their show with special guests Unleash the Archers August 31st 2024

I arrived at the Ogden Theater about 45 minutes before the doors opened and the line which started hours before was around the block with excited fans that managed to get tickets for this show. It was the first show to sell out for Powerwolf’s 2024 US tour. A larger venue when hopefully they return again. Looking throughout the crowd waiting for the show, there were many people with painted faces, others with tour shirts from last year's show and even a few people with tour shirts from other cities. You could feel the excitement in the air and I too was excited to see Powerwolf, a band I waited years to see.

Once inside I headed down to the pit as I always do and say hi to the security guys and put my gear down. My first question is alway, can we shoot around the venue after our first 3 songs in the pit, the answer was yes. The venue filled up quickly and the line for band merch was longer than I have ever seen. The atmosphere was electric.

The house lights dropped and the roar from the crowd was deafening as Unleash the Archers made their way onto the stage. The band started their set with “Abyss” as Brittney Hays (a.k.a. Brittney Slayes) moved front and center and filled the venue with her powerful vocals and the very enthusiastic crowd was head banging and throwing up the horns. It was tight for the band to move around but that didn’t stop them from interacting with the crowd and each other. Their next three songs were from their 2024 album, Phantoma released this past May and the response from the crowd brought big smiles to the band members faces. The Archers finished their set with the cover of “Northwest Passage” and the crowd thanked them with a loud roar of appreciation.

Unleash the Archers members:

Brittney Hayes (a.k.a. Brittney Slayes) – clean vocals (2007–present)

Scott Buchanan – drums (2007–present)

Grant Truesdell – guitars, unclean vocals (2011–present)

Andrew Kingsley Saunders – guitars, clean vocals (2014–present)

Nick Miller – bass (2021–present, 2018–2021 touring musician)

Setlist:

Abyss

Ghosts in the Mist

Green & Glass

Gods in Decay

Tonight We Ride

The Matriarch

Awakening

Northwest Passage @Cover

I watched the turn over of the stage with interest because you could see high up the covers on the drum kit and keyboards. Behind them was a large backdrop that would change throughout their set. There was a stairway in the center and on either side of the stage were backdrops with wolves on them. It was a great set up all around and fit Powerwolf’s stage atmosphere perfectly.

The lights came down and the crowd started chanting, Powerwolf, Powerwolf, Powerwolf! From the left of the stage keyboardist Christian "Falk Maria Schlegel" Jost came out on stage, from the right side vocalist Karsten "Attila Dorn" Brill appeared. Facing each other they made jesters toward each and then moved into their places as the other members made their way onto the stage. They started their set with “Bless ’em With the Blade” from their newly released album, Wake Up The Wicked, which they are playing live for the first time on this tour. The power from the band resonated throughout the crowd and the crowd was head banging with their arms in the air.

Throughout their set, the band moved back and forth in time with some of their greatest classic hits, “Incense & Iron” from 2018, 2013’s “Amen & Attack” and mixing in new songs, “Sinners of the Seven Seas”. When the band would finish a song, the chanting from the crowd would start again and from the smiles, facial expressions from the band it was easy to see how appreciative they were. As the band members moved about the stage interacting with each other and with their fans, I couldn’t help noticing the facial expressions from keyboardist Christian "Falk Maria Schlegel" Jost. I was wondering what was going through his mind as he moved at times jestering with arms here and there. (see photo gallery)

The energy level from Powerwolf’s fans in the now very warm venue was high as ever when the band finished their 16 set. After a short break, the band returned to chanting crowd with a 3 song encore that took you way back in time with, “Sanctified With Dynamite” from 2011,

“We Drink Your Blood” from 2011 and “Werewolves of Armenia” from 2009 to close out their amazing show!

This was just the second stop on their tour and this is a must see show not only for their fans but to anyone who loves metal combined with a great stage show.

Powerwolf members:

Benjamin "Matthew Greywolf" Buss – lead guitar (2003–present)

David "Charles Greywolf" Vogt – bass, rhythm guitar (2003–present)

Christian "Falk Maria Schlegel" Jost – keyboards (2003–present)

Karsten "Attila Dorn" Brill – vocals (2003–present)

Roel van Helden – drums (2011–present)

Setlist:

Bless ’em With the Blade new

Incense & Iron

Army of the Night

Sinners of the Seven Seas new

Amen & Attack