Justin Nuoffer 
CONCERT REVIEW + PHOTOS
Opeth w/ Tribulation
10/11/24 – The Eagles Ballroom – Milwaukee, WI
©Justin Nuoffer/NuofferMedia.com
On an unseasonably warm evening in Milwaukee, WI the Eagles Ballroom is the place you would’ve wanted to be when the influential Swedish metal gods Opeth hit the historic ballroom stage with support from fellow Swedes, Tribulation. The line to enter started to grow a few hours before doors, and stretched down the street and around the corner. It was a wild occurrence, considering the show is a seated one with general admission around the back of the flooring. Regardless, the fandom was eager to see the band on the first stop of the North American leg of their tour.
Once through the side doors and past security, you walk through the foyer and box office and out the front doors to the courtyard. Several food trucks and beverage stands wrap around the area. The famous landmark that is The Rave / Eagles Club, is decorated inside and out for Halloween. The decor fits the recognized local haunted building. Walking back into the building and up three flights of stairs you pass the merchandise booth, which lined the hall and was loaded with brand new gear. Once you hit the top of the stairs, the ballroom opens up into a lovely purple and gold coloring. With the floors covered in seats, those with GA standing-room tickets filled in the sectioned-off areas and positioned themselves quickly. The bars on both sides of the room were packed full of patrons. The weekend was upon us and everyone was ready to let loose.
Tribulation is the lone opening act on the bill. The goth metal masters brought a dark and moody aura back to the States. With heavy black, green, and blues covering the stage Tribulation, they performed to an Eagle’s Ballroom crowd that ate up all of the vibes.
With a new album due out in November they performed one track off of Sub Rosa In Æternum, “Saturn Coming Down,” and it earned a well-deserved applause. It was a fantastic blend of old and new with more melody attached to it. The band lost their face paint a while back but has no issues maintaining their dapper appearance.
Guitarists Adam Zaars and Joseph Tholl were an incredible duo. They often moved towards each other and exchanged riffs back and forth. Out front, vocalist and bassist, Johannes Andersson growled and hit the edge of the stage to encourage crowd participation. His grins added to the haunting atmosphere. Drummer Oscar Leander hid behind his kit and popped his head up rarely. He was focused on his tight playing. Two of their more notable songs “Hungry Waters” and “Tainted Skies” garnered huge cheers. The meaning of Tribulation is a cause of great trouble or suffering. They were anything but that.
This stop for the Swedish legends Opeth marks their ninth time playing in the city of Milwaukee and their seventh in The Rave/Eagles Ballroom. Tonight though, was the very first stop of their 2024 North American tour in support of their soon-to-be-released album, The Last Will and Testament, due in November.
Opeth made their way to the blue-bathed stage and the intro to their first single from the new album, “S1” slowly built and off the show went. From the get-go, there was no rust. You would never know this was the live debut of this and “S3” which is featured later on in the set. The reception was warm and the precision while performing the material was sharp.
The stage setup was simple. A riser ran the width of the stage. In front of the riser was a video board that matched the enormous video board that took up the entire back of the stage. On top of that riser, Waltteri Väyrynen had his drum kit on the right side while on the left, Joakim Svalberg provided backing vocals and keys. His keyboards and synthesizers wrapped him and he became extremely busy. He relentlessly pounded away on the keys during “The Grand Conjuration”. Svalberg was that additional part that added the very chilling layer over the top of primary songwriter Mikael Akerfeldt‘s effortless growling vocals. The song had everyone on their feet and loudly cheering.
Impressively, “The Devil’s Orchid” flipped the entire spectrum of heaviness. Akerfeldt tucked away his harsh growling for an open and direct form of clean singing. The juxtaposition was gorgeous. Lead guitarist Fredrik Åkesson paired with Akerfeldt’s playing stayed true to the jazz rock nature of the Heritage album presented. It was an exquisite piece of material to witness and breathe in.
Opeth wasted no time in between songs, as one after another led to quick guitar changes and brief moments of Akerfeldt giving insight into the upcoming song. His humor was taken in and appreciated. The complexities of “Eternal Rains Will Come”, “In My Time of Need”, and “Face of Melinda” delivered on the softer side of their catalog and that term is used loosely. The songs’ placement within the setlist allowed them to build and cover an often-overlooked part of Opeth’s musicianship. They are so much more than just progressive metal gods. They are skilled creators and songwriters. These epics of sound filled the Eagle’s Ballroom. They gave me goosebumps at times with how chillingly good they were.
Their musical integrity never wavered. Every little detail you heard on the album was matched precisely. Outside of the newest album, Ghost Reveries had two songs in the performance. With “The Grand Conjuration” being performed earlier it left “Ghost of Perdition”. The album is one of the most cherished by the fan base so the reaction to the musical journey was deafening. The background perfectly synced with the flow of the lyrics and signature changes. The prog rock classic had a warm reception and received standing applause. No one left their seats, knowing the encore had arrived.
A short encore break, during which nobody left their seats, served as a resetting of one’s senses. Opeth’s mastery of sound was overwhelming but incredibly pleasant. Standing there you just soaked it in. The incredible “Sorceress” pushed the limits. The background was the album cover. A peacock on top of a pile of body parts. The image moved and floated. The sound was once again impeccable.
“This next song is our Paranoid. Our Brave New World. Our Detroit Rock City.” Åkerfeldt proclaimed, “It’s also fourteen minutes long”. Laughter erupted around the room. The amount of humor and pure honesty was refreshing and their humility was admirable. The track from the album with the same name, “Deliverance,” is a fourteen-minute odyssey through the depths of progressive metal and death metal combined. The ebbs and flows were matched by the lighting changes. The perfect timing elevated the overall experience. For this being the first show out, it was incredible. Opeth are true artists and the joy flows through their veins.
As the Opeth show reached its conclusion, the fans made their way out of the ballroom. The stairs down were bustling and the merchandise line once again filled up quickly. The courtyards were packed with people waiting for their rides or just hanging out. Undoubtedly, Opeth was incredible. The venue, no matter where you were afterward, was still buzzing with people talking about it. If this was only the first stop of the tour, then the concertgoers attending their later dates had better be prepared for an exquisite performance.
Setlist:
§1 (Live debut)
The Leper Affinity
The Grand Conjuration
The Devil’s Orchard
Eternal Rains Will Come
In My Time of Need
Face of Melinda
Heir Apparent
§3 (Live debut)
Ghost of Perdition
Encore:
Sorceress
Deliverance
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