On a sunny Tuesday evening, chauffeured by Boy Child, I headed up the M8 to Glasgow.

This gig had been a long time coming. I think we’ve had the tickets for nigh on two years.

Having fought our way through the rush hour traffic and parked at the science centre, we finished our journey to the OVO Hydro on foot, joining the lengthy queue in the spring sunshine.

So, who were we there to see?

Sabaton!

(There was a lot of camouflage clothing and sunglasses in that queue)

Once inside, we divided and conquered. Boy Child went into the arena to secure a spot while I stood in the slowest moving merch stall queue in history. When I finally got into the arena, I couldn’t find him and had to resort to phoning him to find out where he was.

The rail gods weren’t shining on us. C’est la vie. Boy Child had found a spot about 3 rows off the rail.

In total there were three bands on the bill, and I truly didn’t know what to expect from two of them….

In front of us the huge stage was set up like a WWI trench, with several rows of sandbags lining the front of the stage in between several squat pillars. There was barbed wire strung between them.

First out on stage were Lordi, the 2006 Eurovision Song Contest winners from Finland. I honestly didn’t have high expectations of these guys. In their horror-rock, troll/alien costumes, Lordi would be perfectly at home in any music bar to be found in Star Wars! Mr Lordi himself is an imposing front man and skilled enough to know not to take himself and the band too seriously. Lordi delivered a solid forty-minute set. Mr Lordi said they were the “warm up” act so their job was to ensure we were “warm” enough for Sabaton’s arrival. This pantomime element of “are you warm yet?” ran through the set but, you know what, it worked beautifully. The large Glasgow crowd was lapping this up! Lordi ended their set with their Eurovision winner Hard Rock Hallelujah. Thoroughly entertaining and suitably warming.

Lordi Hard Rock Hallelujah – YouTube

(credit to the owner Jai Dee via You Tube)

At 8pm the lights dimmed, and the second support act took to the stage. It was time to experience Baby Metal!

I don’t get all the Fox God mythology bit behind Baby Metal. They are described as kawaii metal, which translates into “cute” metal and it’s the perfect description!

The masked Kami Band are incredibly heavy and clearly talented musicians; the three girls- Sumetal, Moametal and the newly introduced Momometal – are incredibly sweet and well…. cute. They delivered a spectacular, high energy forty- minute set that you would struggle to find fault with. There were 10 000 Scottish metal fans loving it!

I’m just not sure kawaii metal is for me, but I’ll admit I really enjoyed Baby Metal’s seven song set. Just not convinced I could make it through a headline show….

BABYMETAL Monochrome live @ Glasgow Ovo Hydro 2023.04.18. – YouTube

(credit to the owner Tamas Vig via You Tube)

At 9:15pm the lights dimmed, the intro tape played, a voice informing the crowd “It was a matter of life and death. A road either to safety or ruin”. Shots rang out and Sabaton exploded onto the stage to open their eighteen-song set with Ghost Division. Instantly the entire crowd came alive. Bismarck followed with flames shooting high into the air along the front of the stage in pulsing jets. We were warm now!

Sabaton also showed their playful side as guitarists Chris and Tommy stuck their spare picks to Joakim’s head.

Badged as “The Tour To End All Tours” Sabaton threw everything they had in their arsenal into the set.

For the uninitiated, Sabaton’s music focuses on largely historical military events and major battles from through the ages. Six songs in, Glasgow were treated to their own Scottish epic battle song, Blood of Bannockburn. The passionate Scottish fans went mental for this one! The mosh pit opened up barely three rows off the rail so there were a few rowdy moments where Boy Child and I were standing. I managed to “pinball” my way to the left to a calmer area if the room. Boy Child failed to follow me out as the crowd closed the gap, so he had no choice but to stand his ground. No harm done but I’ll confess to having been a little rattled so have a sketchy memory of the Sarajevo, the song that followed, as I took a few minutes to gather my wits about me. I don’t do mosh pits!

Sabaton – Blood of Bannockburn – YouTube

(credit to the owner Full Metal Haggis via You Tube)

Sabaton had numerous “props” or characters to support some of their songs. We had the scientist/professor with his chalkboard, we had soldiers with flame throwers, but I think my personal favourite was The Red Baron, complete with red plane/piano on stage.

Sabaton the red baron live at Ovo Hydro Glasgow 17/4/2023 – YouTube

(credit to the owner Susanlan01 via You Tube)

Bassist Par Sundstrom was granted a moment or two to talk to the fans ahead of the final song on the main set. As he asked the fans to light up the room with the flashlights on their phones, he was overwhelmed by a deafening Glasgow chant of “here we, here we, here we f**king go.” I suspect the moment will live with him for a long while.

Sabaton certainly didn’t scrimp on the special effects throughout the set. There were flames aplenty, fireworks, explosions, and “fake” gas. Probably my favourite effect though was the snow that fell during Christmas Truce before we were then showered in festive red and green confetti. Great way to round out the main set.

Sabaton – Christmas Truce (Live) (Glasgow, OVO Hydro, 18/04/2023) – YouTube

(credit to the owner Live Gig Videos via You Tube)

After a quick breather, Sabaton returned to the stage for a three-song encore opening it with Primo Victoria. The band engaged the crowd in a sing off at the start of Swedish Pagans, splitting the crowd in an effort to determine which side was chanting louder. I’m sure stage right won! Awesome song. To Hell And Back brought the night to a thunderous climax with more confetti raining down.

Sabaton – To Hell And Back (Live) (Glasgow, OVO Hydro, 18/04/2023) – YouTube

(credit to the owner Live Gig Videos via You Tube)

Battle weary, some 10 000 happy fans marched home.