SABATON/The Legendary Orchestra; Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham; 06/12/25

Theatricality has been at the heart of rock and metal from its very beginnings. From Ozzy's bat-beheading antics, to Maiden's notoriously epic stage productions and from Alice Cooper's shock rock through to Creeper's vampire rock opera aesthetics, and Ice Nine Kills's horror movie indebted on-stage bloodbaths, the spectacle has become as much a part of live shows as the music. Over the past few years, few bands have honed their stagecraft to such lofty heights as Sabaton, putting them right up there with countrymen Amon Amarth for sheer visual wonder and intensity. Tonight sees the Falun boys bring their power metal war machine to Nottingham as part of the European tour to celebrate newest album Legends. We're promised many surprises along the way and, boy, are they about to deliver on that promise. Given that the UK leg of the tour only comprises three dates and Sabaton don't tend to hit these shores that often, it's a surprise that it's not quite sold out. Still, there's much to see before the main event, at least once we've negotiated the queue of people who seem to view lining up for merch as a marathon and not a sprint. 

Only a band with the gall, nay the gumption, nay the absolute balls, of Sabaton would pick an orchestra as a support act and, not only that, have said orchestra play an hour long set of Sabaton songs, to get the crowd in the mood. That, however, is exactly what we get from THE LEGENDARY ORCHESTRA. Formed especially for this tour by Sabaton bassist Per Sundstrom, they comprise a full orchestra, backed by a choir, and held together by soloists Mia Asano (violin) and Patty Gurdy (hurdy-gurdy). Conductor, operatic vocalist and Scardust frontwoman Noa Gruman presides over everything. It's a spectacular opening. A thunderous Ghost Division leads into a threatening and ethereal Bismarck and the crowd are hooked. Blistering solos abound and the backing choir, draped in robes, elevate the songs to new heights. There's a new dimension and depth to the songs and, for the next hour, we're treated to Sabaton performed in a way you'd never expect. The Unkillable Soldier is a particular rip-roaring highlight. Throughout, Noa's soaring vocals blend in perfectly with the backing troupe. The backdrop of a giant castle set, soundtracked by rampaging strings and propulsive double percussion, gives the feel of a Viking rave at a Traitors wrap party. To say the reception is rapturous is undercutting it. The final notes of Swedish Pagans ring silent and the orchestra bid their farewells to cacophonous applause. It's a perfect amuse bouche for what's to come. All (yes, all) metal bands should perform with an orchestra. It's an elevating and uplifting experience.

SABATON haven't made it 26 years into their careers without having a USP. In their case, power metal songs about military history puts them at a level of scope and ambition only really rivalled by Iron Maiden. Clearly, frontman Joakim Broden, and his bandmates, have been taking copious notes from Bruce and the boys. Sabaton shows are always a combination of metal show and history lesson and things here kick off with what comes across as an historical comedy show. Actors cosplaying as Napoleon, Genghis Khan, and Julius Caesar introduce the theme of the current album. Legends chronicles the exploits of famous leaders and commanders from across time. The three characters argue about their respective legacies before Caesar is murdered. So far, so slapstick and so Sabaton. Despite the serious nature of some of the events their songs cover, they can never be accused of taking themselves too seriously. The crowd obviously get the joke. Napoleon (whose accent seems to have been cribbed from reruns of 'Allo 'Allo) is booed every time he speaks. Eventually, the on-stage banter is interrupted by a member of the Knights Templar who, it must be said, does look like he's taken the evening off from guarding the Holy Grail, and then the band arrive, jumping straight into album opener Templars. A rambunctious The Last Stand follows, before our three stage characters return, this time one by one, to introduce the respective tracks about them from the new record. The stop-start nature of the opening to the set doesn't go down well with all of those present but the majority are thoroughly immersed. 

Such is the breadth of material at their disposal, it's not too difficult for Sabaton to throw together a set of bonafide bangers and that's exactly what the rest of the evening entails. The fact that they're able to do so without repeating any of the songs from the support set tells you all you need to know. The band are on imperious form, steered and commanded by Joakim. The stage show is something to behold. We're treated to mock cannons, sparks, explosions, gunfire that makes everyone collectively cack themselves during Stormtroopers, fire, drum solos, plenty of onstage banter, more fire, Joakim in the crowd, in a gas mask, shooting mock gas, during a particularly harrowing and menacing The Attack of the Dead Men, and, somehow, more fire. Indeed, the sheer volume of pyro would suggest that someone in Sabaton's crew has Parkway Drive on speed dial. The temperature of the room has risen several degrees before we're even halfway through. This is more than a metal gig. Throughout, there are periodic voiceovers detailing the horrors of war. Which in itself gets to the crux of the message behind Sabaton's songs. Behind every battle, every war, every skirmish and every leader, there are genuine human stories. The fact that Sabaton can bring these to life in such a way that the power of the songs doesn't diminish the impact of the tales they tell, is a testament to how hard they've worked on this vision. In and amongst the visual spectacle, they're still not done surprising us. The Legendary Choir, and Noa herself, return for the second half of the set, taking their place on the battlements of the castle, next to the drum riser, to lend yet more theatricality, in case that well was in danger of running dry. Positioned so as to look out across proceedings, they carry an air of harbingers of doom. Their presence enhances and envelopes, the perfect complement to Joakim's harsh, gritty vocals. 

It being December, we're even treated to a Christmas song. A mesmeric version of The Christmas Truce almost peels back the layers of time. Similarly, Night Witches is a thunderous summoning of death from above. The frenzied stomp of Primo Victoria tramples all before it. It's worth mentioning that pulling off a show of this scale and complexity would not be possible without the musicianship on display. Drummer Hannes van Dahl (AKA, Mr. Floor Jansen) is a whirlwind of limbs and precision. He might be the youngest member of the band but he attacks his kit like he's been here from the very beginning, leading to the obligatory mid-set drum solo. Chris Rorland and Thobbe Englund, with their Maiden-aping twin leads, are locked in like they're two heads of the same beast, whilst Per Sundstrom's basslines throb effortlessly underneath. Joakim runs around like a man possessed, his gruff delivery perfectly suiting the urgency and poignancy of the songs. In short, this is a band who have not only taken an idea and run with it, but dialled it up to the nth degree into an all-conquering, earth-scorching, tank-flattening metal machine. The whistle intro for To Hell and Back gets the biggest cheer of the night in a crowded field. Masters of the World brings things to a climax with a wall of fire and an explosion of confetti from the rafters. This is more than a job well done. This is a barnstorming, demolition job well done. When Maiden eventually call it a day, a sizable door will open for a band who can turn a gig into a spectacle and make every show an event in itself. Don't be surprised if Sabaton are knocking that door down.

Sabaton Setlist

Templars

The Last Stand

Hordes of Khan

I, Emperor

Crossing the Rubicon

Carolus Rex (Swedish version)

The Red Baron

Stormtroopers

Drum Solo

A Tiger Among Dragons

The Christmas Truce

Soldier of Heaven

The Attack of the Dead Men

Night Witches

Primo Victoria

Steel Commanders

The Art of War

To Hell and Back

Masters of the World

THE AMY WINEHOUSE BAND; Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham; 27/11/25

Legacy is a word that's mentioned a lot in music. It can be a loaded word. Every artist, every band, every musician, wants to be remembered. But how do you measure legacy? Legacy becomes the product of influence and impact. Across the music scene, across all genres, the legacy of artists shines through in the influence they have on the generations that come later, and through the music of those they inspire to follow in their footsteps. How then, do you honour the legacy of an artist who burned bright for too short a time? It's a question that no doubt a few people were considering in the run-up to the start of this performance. The original backing band of the late, great, and much missed Amy Winehouse have taken her back catalogue and run with it, recruiting a hand-picked vocalist to perform the songs, in hopes of not just honouring her memory but of keeping the songs alive and, one would hope, introduce them to a new generation. 

The venue for this endeavour is one that you would certainly imagine Amy herself would feel at home in. Nottingham's Royal Concert Hall, a 2200 capacity, fully seated, modern venue, adjacent to, and connected with, the Victorian Theatre Royal next door. This would be a celebration of Amy Winehouse's life, as much as it would be a retrospective of her career, played out in one of the most intimate venues that Nottingham has to offer. To up the ante, the band have recruited a full orchestra to fully bring the heartfelt and earnest songs to life. On paper, it looks set to be quite the experience. Such is the impact of Amy Winehouse on soul, jazz, funk, reggae and R&B, the audience is pleasingly diverse and we all settle into our seats in preparation of what is to come. The anticipation is heightened by a delay in the start time due to one of the performers running late, likely due to midweek football traffic. Soon though, the lights dim and the performers enter the stage in turn, orchestra first, before THE AMY WINEHOUSE BAND arrive, taking up their respective positions, and we await the arrival of the leading lady.

Singer Bronte Shande enters from stage right, dressed in a way that emulates Amy's inimitable style. Any nerves from the audience about what to expect soon evaporate. The opening notes of Tears Dry on Their Own kick in, and everyone is transfixed. It becomes clear, even early in the set, that the band have picked well with their choice of frontwoman. Rest assured, this is no attempt to replace Amy Winehouse. It's merely a vehicle to allow her songs to continue and her memory to thrive. The show takes the form of two 45 minute sets, with an interval, both focusing on the two studio albums, Frank and Back to Black, the latter turning 20 a few days after this show, that Amy released in her lifetime. Throughout, the emotional weight and heft that these songs still carry can be felt. Stronger than Me feels spiky and faintly menacing. You Know I'm No Good is a sultry 'I told you so'. October Song and Moody's Mood for Love, encapsulate the deep mood of heartbreak that permeates a lot of Amy's songs, so much so that you almost forget that the latter is a cover. 

Amongst the emotion of the songs themselves, the pressure to get them right feels huge. The weight of her role gets to Bronte at one point and, visibly emotional, she asks to start a song over and tearfully apologises to a sympathetic audience who, very moved by the outpouring of feeling, cheer her to the restart. It's easy to understand the difficulty of the task at hand. It's one thing singing the songs of one of the best and most influential songwriters of a generation but to do so live, backed by the very band of the singer in question, is something else entirely. For their part, the band are predictably excellent. They're clearly still enjoying bringing these songs to life, however painful and nostalgic it may be to do so. During an extended outro to the first set, we're introduced to each of the band in turn, with everybody getting their own solo. The horn section of Dave Temple, Frank Walden and Ben Edwards are locked in and clearly enjoying themselves. Their driving jazz rhythms add a propulsive backbone to the lyrics. On guitar and bass respectively, Hawi Gondwe and Dale Davis (who also acts as musical director), ooze effortless cool. Drummer Nathan Allen is the heartbeat of the rhythm section, his tight, well-drilled jazz drumming wrapping everything together. There's a touching moment where we're informed that he's just celebrated his 40th birthday, having been too young to even drink when he first joined the band. In short, this encapsulates the friendship and camaraderie of a group of musicians who have not only been doing this for a long time, but have weathered a considerable amount of heartbreak themselves. The star presence amongst the ensemble cast is backing singer Ade Omotayo. He's animated and amiable from the start. His impressive range perfectly balances against Bronte Shande's higher notes. He even takes the lead on a couple of songs, including a beautiful version of Amy's cover of Cupid, originally by Sam Cooke. Having the band backed by an orchestra only enhances the depth and diversity of the experience. Strings swell to accompany sax and trumpet. There are moments where you can hear a pin drop, particularly during the vocal pause at the close of Back to Black. There's even time to showcase the artists that Amy herself held dear. The extended instrumental that ends the opening set segues unexpectedly into the hook from Lauryn Hill's classic Doo Wop (That Thang). 

The real shining light, however, is Bronte Shande herself. Covering Amy Winehouse is no easy feat. Bronte shows that she is so much more than that. She embodies these songs and conveys the emotions in a way that only Amy herself would be able to. There are points where, if you closed your eyes and you didn't know better, you would swear that it was Amy up there, making the stage her own and unleashing her innermost demons. Bronte nails every note. The pain-inflected numbers, such as Love is a Losing Game become even more sorrowful. The antsier, more urgent songs such as Rehab are packed with trademark attitude and character. Make no mistake, these are not just songs about love and loss. They are fully-forged, tear-stained testimonies of heartache, rejection and struggle. For the more casual fans in the audience, the second set features more of the tried and tested bangers but that doesn't make their continued impact any less real. The band allow the audience onto their feet for the final few numbers, including a raucous, closing Valerie, (AKA, the song The Zutons wrote that means they'll never have to work again). A fantastic evening draws to a close with Dale Davis addressing the audience and clarifying the importance of ensuring that these songs continue to be performed. A hugely appreciative audience, barring one idiot (and there is always one idiot), hang on his every word. This isn't just a night for the fans. This is a night for Amy. Her tragically short life, with all its troubles, birthed something wonderful that will never be forgotten and can never be taken away. If Amy's legacy (that word again) could be summed up, it would be in nights like this. People coming together to celebrate a brilliant, troubled, but ultimately, a thoroughly genuine and heartfelt individual. If things had been different, there's no telling what stratospheric heights Amy would have reached. In the meantime, we'll always have these songs. They should be cherished. As far as The Amy Winehouse Band are concerned, they deserve this. 

The Amy Winehouse Band Setlist

Tears Dry on Their Own

October Song

Mr. Magic (Through the Smoke)

Stronger than Me

Moody's Mood for Love (James Moody cover)

Take the Box

Cupid (Sam Cooke cover)

He Can Only Hold Her

Band Introductions

Doo Wop (That Thang) (chorus only) (Lauryn Hill cover)

Love is a Losing Game

Back to Black

You Know I'm No Good

Me & Mr. Jones

Rehab

You're Wondering Now (Andy and Joey cover)

Monkey Man (Toots & The Maytals cover)

Valerie (The Zutons cover)