There were some absolutely amazing venue choices on this EU 25 Spring tour and my decisions on which pair to hit were largely based on the venues. With so many tempting choices, Athens quickly took hold as a non-negotiable for me. Not only is it an amazing city that is shrouded in history, it offered one of the most unique venues that I had laid eyes on. As a photographer, the pull of that venue could not really be denied. The chance to shoot KGLW in a venue on top of a hill in Athens with views of the Acropolis, Aegean Sea, Athen’s distant lights and mountain ranges was an unparalleled opportunity. Tossing in the chance of a Magma closed the deal on this one.
They say that Mount Lycabettus is the second highest point of elevation in Athens, but for three days in June it was most certainly the highest peak around. The journey to the venue is nothing short of spectacular with hiking paths providing incredible views of Athens while being adorned with a myriad of vegetation in all directions. The same setting made for some interesting walks down the hill after the show, with no need to repeat any route on any night, with views of the Acropolis and Athens through the shadows. The walkway into the venue slowly opens up into an expansive view of the stage, seating, and towering rock surrounding one half of the venue.
From the top of the venue you were treated to incredible sunset views of the mountains that would slowly fade into the glow of Athens as the night progressed. The environment felt very open and expansive, yet entirely contained and intimate. The nature of the venue gave way to another great backdrop for this European spring tour and left the lighting team plenty to work with as the sun was lost to solos.
There was a relaxed and celebratory vibe that permeated the theater for the next three days. The stage being adorned with Greek columns only added to the festive atmosphere that was already in the air. We saw the run open with Open Water, a nod to the shoreline that was also visible from the top of the mountain, but you had to climb up the towering rock adjacent to the venue for that one. Throughout the weekend a slew of fans watched the shows from that very point, often being drawn directly into the show when bathed with lights from the stage. The look and feel of many fans rocking out on top of the mountain, overlooking us all, only added to the absolutely chaotic and free spirited auditory assault coming from the stage. Spirits were high all over the venue with fans coming from all over the world to attend. This was a professional crowd that was entirely as locked in as the band was.
Visually, there was no shortage of pleasures around. We saw the entire venue lit and not without thought. The mountain was used in both daylight and darkness. The screens would mirror the lights into the exact look of the sun setting behind a mountain, as it did that very action. Terence turned the entire stage into a watercolor for an iconic Iron Lung with smoke and soft lights obscuring the band. In lockstep with the decaying waves of modular synthesizers from each table portion the entire bowl would be lit, the mountain hit with spotlights, and deep beams bending and twisting over the band. For three days there was a pretty clear collective focus from the crowd that only seemed to push along some absolute powerhouse playing from the band. If these words sound hyperbolic, I’d implore you to simply visit the monstrous ending of the run as they closed down shop with an astounding version of both Superposition and Float Along. Superposition’s debut certainly felt like a highlight of the run and was a grade A table performance that got slotted right in prime time. Seeing the band in this venue was an absolute pleasure that no one there seemed to take for granted.
See more of Photon Obscura's stunning photography on Instagram. Keep an eye out for a raffle at KGLW.net's table at Field of Vision where Photon Obscura is generously raffling framed prints to help support our site.