Linkin Park, Cypress Hill, The Pretty Reckless, Grandson 2026-06-21 Rock In Rio, Lisbon

Sun, June 21, 2026 in Lisbon, Portugal @ Rock In Rio (Parque Tejo)

It was a sold out show with 90.000 people.

I went to Rock In Rio especially to see Linkin Park (for the 3rd time) with the tour "From Zero World Tour" and also for The Pretty Reckless.
Linkin Park I saw them before in September 9, 2003 (Pavilão Atlântico, Lisbon) and in May 30, 2014 (Rock In Rio, Parque da Bela Vista, Lisbon).
I had never heard of the other two bands: Grandson and Cypress Hill.

I arrived at Rock In Rio at 5:10 am. Was still night. And then came a sunny and very hot day. I went to the road to the main entrance to enter later. There were already some people on the lines.

We got in at 1 pm. The security guards removed the barriers so we could move forward to the next stop to be searched by the security guards. We walked slowly with the security guards forming a protective rope to the new stop. After that we have to go to a final stop to get our tickets checked and after thart finally we get in.
Was time to run to Palco Mundo that is in the opposite site of the Rock In Rio. Around 800 meters. Of course I couldn't keep up the pace. I had to stop and walk calmly to the Palco Mundo. When I got there, the front row was already packed with people on the right side, but I managed to see a guy who had been with me outside in line since 5 in the morning. And I managed to get on his side.
I immediately noticed two differences from Rock in Rio two years ago in the same place. The stage was higher and we were closer to the stage, but this meant I couldn't see the whole stage, especially the back parts and the river itself.

Scheduled times next.
General doors - 13:00
To start (1st band) at 17:00 -> Grandson -> End at 18:00
To start BPI Apresenta "Força Portugal" com a SIC - 18:35
To start (2nd band) at 19:00 -> The Pretty Reckless -> End at 20:00
To start The Flight - O Grande Espectáculo Aéreo - 20:00
To start (3rd band) at 21:15 -> Cypress Hill -> End at 22:15
To start Stage For Dreams - Espetáculo Pirotécnico e Audiovisual - 23:00
To start (4th band) at 23:15 -> Linkin Park -> End at 00:45
Close of Rock In Rio - 02:00

The first band on stage was Grandson. They played for 60 minutes (17:00 - 18:00).

Just went to google to find the story of this band and found this:
"Grandson (stylized as grandson) is the stage name of Jordan Edward Benjamin, a Canadian-American alternative rock musician. His music blends rock, hip-hop, and electronic elements to tackle socio-political issues like economic inequality, systemic injustice, and mental health.
Born in New Jersey and raised in Toronto, Benjamin initially planned to become a teacher. He studied education at McGill University in Montreal but dropped out to pursue music. In 2014, he relocated to Los Angeles to kickstart his career, where he developed his genre-bending sound.
The Meaning Behind the Name -> The moniker "grandson" is a direct homage to his late grandfather, who introduced him to legendary musicians like Ray Charles. He styles the name in all lowercase letters because he wants the focus to remain on the music and the community message, rather than personal ego."

Now my opinion of the concert. Was freaking cool rock. I like it. At the end of the show, the vocalist put on a Portugal football shirt.

I will write here the setlist:

Edit this setlist | More grandson setlists

01. AUTONOMOUS DELIVERY ROBOT
02. BURY YOU
03. We Did It!!!
04. Oh No!!!
05. BELLS OF WAR
06. Stigmata
07. GOD IS AN ANIMAL
08. Darkside
09. Overdose
10. 6:00
11. LITTLE WHITE LIES
12. SELF IMMOLATION
13. Masters of War (Bob Dylan cover)
14. BRAINROT
15. YOU MADE ME THIS WAY
16. Blood // Water

On the break before "The Pretty Reckless" Rock In Rio show us a special event dedicated to the Football team that is playing a World FIFA Tournament trying to win it and become World Champion for the 1st time.
The event was: -> "BPI Apresenta "Força Portugal" com a SIC"
They show special videos of the portuguese players from our story in euro and world events in the past. They also show all the players in video and with name on screen for the public to shout their names. Last name that was shown was from Ronaldo.
Hoping this could be a very special surprise to our portuguese team.
I was in the front row (on the right side) and saw a bunch of people putting up a giant banner for us to lift with our hands and send it backwards (the idea was to fill the audience with the flag). On the other side, they did the same with a national team t-shirt. At the right moment, we started pulling the banner back as far as possible. A little later, we pulled it forward again. It must have been a cool show to watch from the back.
The idea behind doing this is to then create a montage of our work that will be sent to the entire national team to show our support.

The second band was The Pretty Reckless. They played for 60 minutes (19:00 - 20:00).

It was amazing to finally be able to see them. I already knew of this band for a few years, but I never really got to know them (well) until I found out they were coming to Rock in Rio on the same day as Linkin Park. So I started exploring their catalog more thoroughly, and that made me really like them, especially some of their songs.

Current members

Taylor Momsen – lead vocals, rhythm guitar (2009–present)
Ben Phillips – lead guitar, backing vocals (2010–present)
Mark Damon – bass (2010–present)
Jamie Perkins – drums (2010–present)

Taylor Momsen is freaking cool. Love how she was always moving around everywhere. The songs I most wanted to hear were: "For I Am Death" and "Make Me Wanna Die". And they sang both. Freaking awesome.
I will write here the setlist:

Edit this setlist | More The Pretty Reckless setlists

01. Death by Rock and Roll
02. Since You're Gone
03. Follow Me Down
04. Miss Nothing
05. For I Am Death
06. When I Wake Up
07. Witches Burn
08. Make Me Wanna Die
09. Heaven Knows
10. Going to Hell

In bold are the videos I made.

Videos of The Pretty Reckless (5 videos):

The Pretty Reckless-Miss Nothing, Rock in Rio, Lisbon, PT, 2026-06-21 HD
https://youtu.be/QIx8oDSHnKo?si=vutFLt73mCEDWzoB
And the video:


The Pretty Reckless-For I Am Death, Rock in Rio, Lisbon, PT, 2026-06-21 HD
https://youtu.be/KVJ8IPnFiM0?si=0vtZ_tx34yXu6VQw
And the video:


The Pretty Reckless-Make Me Wanna Die, Rock in Rio, Lisbon, PT, 2026-06-21 HD
https://youtu.be/h12VAcw78KI?si=6f12ruF4-VseD8LX
And the video:


The Pretty Reckless-Heaven Knows, Rock in Rio, Lisbon, PT, 2026-06-21 HD
https://youtu.be/ft3ihChZXlc?si=3OqTj3IJ36LfgFUs
And the video:


The Pretty Reckless-Going to Hell, Rock in Rio, Lisbon, PT, 2026-06-21 HD
https://youtu.be/uvY9XitQdZs?si=A9xFyyH4JMj1ak0J
And the video:


Another break of changing bands to have another surprise show. This time was: -> "The Flight - O Grande Espectáculo Aéreo"
It was an event with 5 small planes by Yakstars performing an aerial acrobatics show.
Very cool to see it.

The third band was Cypress Hill. They played for 65 minutes (21:15 - 22:20).

I did not like them. And don't understand why this band (Hip Hop) was put on the same line up (day) of Linkin Park, The Pretty Reckless and grandson that are all great and amazing rock bands. I only wanted them to finish their set and go out. I was not there to see them.

I will write here the setlist:

Edit this setlist | More Cypress Hill setlists

01. How I Could Just Kill a Man
02. Hand on the Pump / Shoot 'Em Up
03. When the Shit Goes Down
04. Real Estate
05. Latin Lingo
06. A to the K
07. Illusions
08. I Wanna Get High / Cisco Kid
09. Dr. Greenthumb
10. Hits From the Bong / The Next Episode
11. DJ Lord + Eric Bobo Instrumental
12. Wacha Trucha
13. I Ain't Goin' Out Like That
14. Bombtrack (Rage Against the Machine cover)
15. Can't Get the Best of Me
16. (Rock) Superstar
17. Insane in the Brain

Another break of changing bands to have another special show. This time was: -> "Stage For Dreams - Espetáculo Pirotécnico e Audiovisual"
Started with Freddy Mercury and Queen playing in an old Rock Show.
It was cool with also an amazing laser show. And fireworks.

The fourth band was Linkin Park. They played for 98 minutes (23:22 - 01:00).

They played a set of 23 songs.
It was my 3rd time watching them. But this time was with Emily Armstrong. The other 2 shows I saw was still with the amazing Chester Bennington that is not alive anymore.

Current members:

Mike Shinoda – lead and rap vocals, keyboards, sampler, programming, synthesizer (1996–2017, 2023–present); rhythm guitar (2001–2017, 2023–present)
Emily Armstrong – lead vocals (2023–present)
Brad Delson – lead guitar (1996–2017, 2023–present); keyboards, synthesizer, sampler (2007–2017, 2023–present); backing vocals (2000–2017, 2023–present)
Dave "Phoenix" Farrell – bass (1996–1999, 2000–2017, 2023–present); backing vocals (2002–2017, 2023–present)
Joe Hahn – turntables, synthesizer, sampler, programming (1996–2017, 2023–present); backing vocals (2000–2017, 2023–present)
Colin Brittain – drums, percussion, backing vocals (2023–present)

Current touring musicians

Alex Feder – lead guitar, backing vocals (2024–present)

I loved the show, always electrifying and full of energy. It was spectacular to see the new songs with the new vocalist and also to see the old ones with Emily Armstrong's help. Although, of course, I prefer Chester's versions, which will always remain in our memories.

The UNSHATTER Movie Trailer appeared in the Palco Mundo videos at 23:11. After that we got the countdown of 10 minutes to the start of the show. Linkin Park started exactly at 23:22.

I will write here the setlist:

Edit this setlist | More Linkin Park setlists

UNSHATTER Movie Trailer
Touch It / Technologic (Daft Punk song) (pre-show w/ From Zero countdown)

Act I
Inception Intro A (with elements of "Castle of Glass")

01. The Emptiness Machine (ext. intro)
02. Lying From You
03. Crawling
04. Up From the Bottom
05. Somewhere I Belong

Act II
Creation Intro A (with elements of "Castle of Glass")

06. The Catalyst (shortened (no third chorus/breakdown))
07. Burn It Down
08. Where'd You Go (Fort Minor cover) (shortened (intro/1st verse/final chorus); transition ending)
09. Waiting for the End (ext. intro w/ 2024 synth)
10. Two Faced (w/ Joe intro; ext. bridge)
11. A Place for My Head
12. IGYEIH
13. One Step Closer (2024 intro w/ scratching; ext. outro w/ chorus riff)

Act III
Break/Collapse

14. Lost (shortened; Mike and Emily piano version)
15. Breaking the Habit (piano start; swirl intro)
16. Overflow (ext. synth intro w/ Metallica's "One")
17. What I've Done
18. Numb (w/ "Numb/Encore" intro)
19. Heavy Is the Crown
20. Bleed It Out (ext. bridge w/ Fort Minor's "There They Go" verse 1; ext. outro)

Encore:
Resolution Intro A (with elements of "Castle of Glass")

21. Papercut (2024 intro)
22. In the End
23. Faint (ext. outro)

Pass the Mic (Beastie Boys song)

In bold are the videos I made.

Videos of Linkin Park (16 videos):

Linkin Park-The Emptiness Machine, Rock in Rio, Lisbon, PT, 2026-06-21 HD
https://youtu.be/voofjj6e8Uo?si=3F7fFN4vUyNm-TCH
And the video:


Linkin Park-Lying From You, Rock in Rio, Lisbon, PT, 2026-06-21 HD
https://youtu.be/OCJAPWv-yZE?si=AGCgAd3ey2HmufP7
And the video:


Linkin Park-Crawling, Rock in Rio, Lisbon, PT, 2026-06-21 HD
https://youtu.be/J4-s6m1wioc?si=DxkmLAgOCs_16hVZ
And the video:


Linkin Park-Up From The Bottom, Rock in Rio, Lisbon, PT, 2026-06-21 HD
https://youtu.be/cVo42DbU_Q8?si=3VezWn_4N8h42sbG
And the video:


Linkin Park-Somewhere I Belong, Rock in Rio, Lisbon, PT, 2026-06-21 HD
https://youtu.be/MUX9bTWfTq0?si=XkYGgPA4zvTbi6qI
And the video:


Linkin Park-The Catalyst, Rock in Rio, Lisbon, PT, 2026-06-21 HD
https://youtu.be/8kRKumYgQmU?si=UBcyJL-aNItANy5q
And the video:


Linkin Park-Burn It Down, Rock in Rio, Lisbon, PT, 2026-06-21 HD
https://youtu.be/GLNuDfQRSSw?si=nPp-kaOuI2QluBZy
And the video:


Linkin Park-Where'd You Go+Waiting For The End, Rock in Rio, Lisbon, PT, 2026-06-21 HD
https://youtu.be/MSdpsLP5MKs?si=uXDbM6gGiUoAFwmm
And the video:


Linkin Park-Lost+Breaking The Habit, Rock in Rio, Lisbon, PT, 2026-06-21 HD
https://youtu.be/ZSaft2yNlbI?si=pfh6fkAirHsyx_SP
And the video:


Linkin Park-What I've Done, Rock in Rio, Lisbon, PT, 2026-06-21 HD
https://youtu.be/wRbJySw8D8o?si=Qs-RWBFPIc0YkoIi
And the video:


Linkin Park-Numb, Rock in Rio, Lisbon, PT, 2026-06-21 HD
https://youtu.be/n9B5Na46oPk?si=Q5-GBbtAmGvFf9lm
And the video:


Linkin Park-Heavy Is The Crown, Rock in Rio, Lisbon, PT, 2026-06-21 HD
https://youtu.be/V-E50EjQwUE?si=CEfZwVaaStC6C1I8
And the video:


Linkin Park-Bleed It Out, Rock in Rio, Lisbon, PT, 2026-06-21 HD
https://youtu.be/GukqCTvf_YE?si=DO7KE07jQOFKmTOi
And the video:


Linkin Park-Papercut, Rock in Rio, Lisbon, PT, 2026-06-21 HD
https://youtu.be/hy8SYp8H91I?si=TPHrL5gRMzTBo5Fb
And the video:


Linkin Park-In The End, Rock in Rio, Lisbon, PT, 2026-06-21 HD
https://youtu.be/HjouVQJHaRk?si=9-SZnyqKJG1VBGVF
And the video:


Linkin Park-Faint, Rock in Rio, Lisbon, PT, 2026-06-21 HD
https://youtu.be/AD6M3hGb_ws?si=NDnGZlJdh4fqVEMB
And the video:

U2 - Yours Eternally (Ft. Ed Sheeran and Taras Topolia) (Documentary Short Film)

Out today. New music video from U2 feature Ed Sheeran and Taras Topolia. Documentary Short Film.
Love the video. Real video, real story. Go check it out.

U2 - Yours Eternally ft. Ed Sheeran and Taras Topolia (Documentary Short Film)
8,459 views • Feb 24, 2026
https://youtu.be/p92NzxFmseo?si=SB5CJeLdvQI7oiW0

For four years Ukraine has been resisting Russia’s full-scale invasion.
Soldiers of the Khartiya Corps are among the hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians who conduct daily military operations to defend their country against the invading Russian army.
This film contains footage from a documentary about Ukrainian soldiers fighting for freedom.

Credits:
Director: Ilya Mikhaylus
Producer: Pyotr Verzilov
Executive Producers (Original Documentary Production): Maksym Serdiuk, Artem Hryhorian (KNIFE! Films)
Editors: Ilya Mikhaylus, Yaroslav Korotkov, Kyrylo Postnikov, Julietta Martirosyan
Cinematographers: Ilya Mikhaylus, Yaroslav Korotkov, Pavlo Itkin, Stepan Pavlyuk, Sasha Tuz, Alla Savytska, Kyrylo Postnikov, Katya Gimro
Special Thanks to Art Action Foundation - John Caldwell & Nadya Tolokonnikova
This film would not be possible without soldiers from the 2nd “Khartiya” Corps of the National Guard of Ukraine, Corps Commander Colonel Ihor Obolenskiy and Vsevolod Kozhemyako.

#U2 #YoursEternally #DaysOfAshEP

Hope you will love this awesome lyric "U2 - Yours Eternally ft. Ed Sheeran and Taras Topolia (Documentary Short Film)".

U2 - Yours Eternally ft. Ed Sheeran and Taras Topolia

Don't sleep
Don't even think about it
No need
Maybe a little bit
Still dream
About waking up free
As we can be
Forget
Whatever doesn't fit
Regret
Regret none of it
Don't bet
On getting rid of me
Yours eternally

Dearest friends or whatever
We are calling ourselves these days
My current location
I cannot disclose
Geographically
It's nowhere that I’ve been before
But emotionally
We’re on the same road
If you have the chance to laugh
Laugh at me
If you have the chance to hope
It's a duty

Don't sleep
Don't even think about it
No need
Maybe a little bit
Still dream
About waking up free
As we can be
Forget
Whatever doesn't fit
Regret
Regret none of it
Don't bet
On getting rid of me
Yours eternally

As your so called companion
The worst jokes and the greatest times
You got me high
And the stars got me home
Your faith in me was blinding
Yours is the song that I’ve always sung
You are not lost out there because
You are not alone
If you have a chance to reach
Reach for me
In the chaos of the earth
We’ll find beauty
All this time we’ve been chasing dust
A soldier’s song a sailor’s lust
For the glory of a world
That we can’t yet see

Don't sleep
Don't even think about it
No need
Maybe a little bit
Still dream
About waking up free
As we can be
Forget
Whatever doesn't fit
Regret
Regret none of it
Don't bet
On getting rid of me
Yours eternally

Volia, volia
Volia, volia
Volia, volia
Volia, volia

Epica, Amaranthe, Charlotte Wessels 2026-02-01 Coliseu dos Recreios, Lisbon

Sun, February 1, 2026 in Lisbon, Portugal @ Coliseu dos Recreios

The tour of Epica, Amaranthe is: "Arcane Dimensions Tour".
This was my 2nd epica show. I saw them for the first time in 2023/02/14. Story here: Epica + Apocalyptica 2023-02-14 Coliseu de Lisboa, Lisbon
And this was a show with 3 bands, Charlotte Wessels and the Obsession (1st band), Amaranthe (2nd band) and Epica (3rd band).

I arrived at Coliseu dos Recreios at 13:30. Was raining.
During the day, I talked to some fans that I already knew.
I arrived later because I had already purchased the VIP packages for Epica and Amaranthe. I had received an email instructing me to be there at 16h. Around 17h finally they called the Epica VIP buyers and then the Amaranthe VIP buyers.
First we went to the Epica VIP area where they signed our merchandising (I had the vinyl "The Ghost In Me" they gave us on the VIP package) first and then took our picture with the band (Simone was not present). Talked a little to the guys of the band. They were all very friendly.
And right after that I went to the Amaranthe VIP area. Autographs first and then the picture. They autographed a poster. They were cool. Elize Ryd even ask me my name. I told her and the rest of the guys that I was very happy to finally see them live. I told them that I like their music since I first heard the song "Amaranthine". Also that I like their energy on stage, always moving around.
We had to wait a little more to get inside the Arena because someone was still rehearsing. We got in at 18:20. I just got in to the middle of front row (1 meter to the left of the middle in my case).

Scheduled times next.
18:00 General doors
19:00 Show was scheduled to start "Charlotte Wessels and the Obsession"
20:10 Show was scheduled to start "Amaranthe"
22:00 Show was scheduled to start "Epica"
23:18 Show ends

We had 2 bands playing before Epica.

Before "Epica" Coliseu de Lisboa, played 1st band Charlotte Wessels and the Obsession (Dutch Singer), they started at 19:05 and played 42 minutes. Played a set of 7 songs.

I like her voice and the rest of the band was awesome. I already knew at least 1 song: Dopamine. I also loved the song: Soft Revolution. They were amazing.

The band members are:

Current members:
Charlotte Wessels: Vocals, Lyrics
Timo Somers: Guitars, Arrangements
Otto Schimmelpenninck van der Oije: Bass
Joey Marin de Boer: Drums
Sophia Vernikov: Piano/Keys

You can check all the details of the show in the setlist below.

Here it is the setlist:

Edit this setlist | More Charlotte Wessels setlists

01. Chasing Sunsets
02. Dopamine
03. The Crying Room
04. Tempest
05. After Us, The Flood
06. Soft Revolution
07. The Exorcism
Breathe; (from tape)

In bold are the videos I made.

Videos of Charlotte Wessels and the Obsession (1 video):

Charlotte Wessels And The Obsession-Dopamine, Coliseu dos Recreios, Lisbon, PT, 2026-02-01 HD
https://youtu.be/Lrig19uymso?si=ewDTl1Go0b0ezHGS
And the video:


Before "Epica" Coliseu de Lisboa, played 2nd band Amaranthe (Swedish heavy metal band), they started at 20:10 and played 80 minutes. Played a set of 18 songs.

I finally got to see them live. I'd wanted to see them live for years. They were phenomenal, amazing on stage. Always full of energy.

The band members are:

Current members:
Olof Mörck – guitars, keyboards, synthesizers (2008–present), bass (2008–2009)
Elize Ryd – female clean vocals (2008–present)
Morten Løwe Sørensen – drums (2008–present)
Johan Andreassen – bass (2010–present)
Nils Molin – male clean vocals (2017–present)
Mikael Sehlin – harsh vocals (2023–present)

You can check all the details of the show in the setlist below.

Here it is the setlist:

Edit this setlist | More Amaranthe setlists

Intro
01. Fearless
02. Viral
03. Digital World
04. Damnation Flame
05. Maximize
06. Strong
07. PvP
08. Crystalline
09. Boom!1
10. The Catalyst
11. Re-Vision
12. Chaos Theory
13. Amaranthine
14. The Nexus
15. Call Out My Name
Encore:
16. Archangel
17. That Song (With snippets of Queen's We Will Rock You)
18. Drop Dead Cynical
Separate Ways (Worlds Apart) (Journey song)

In bold are the videos I made.

Videos of Amaranthe (13 videos):

Amaranthe-Fearless (with Intro), Coliseu dos Recreios, Lisbon, PT, 2026-02-01 HD
https://youtu.be/OU5i3fm0ZmM?si=cg60nbG2nGv5I_BK
And the video:


Amaranthe-Viral, Coliseu dos Recreios, Lisbon, PT, 2026-02-01 HD
https://youtu.be/JNMconblppw?si=lSb_mvXYZuQ4Kf2A
And the video:


Amaranthe-Digital World, Coliseu dos Recreios, Lisbon, PT, 2026-02-01 HD
https://youtu.be/g0dEL3997Pg?si=X9CsItO9LUB7hlPs
And the video:


Amaranthe-Damnation Flame, Coliseu dos Recreios, Lisbon, PT, 2026-02-01 HD
https://youtu.be/s9H7XkpqrGY?si=4wV74lxexPFA_Wis
And the video:


Amaranthe-Strong, Coliseu dos Recreios, Lisbon, PT, 2026-02-01 HD
https://youtu.be/UPhWkfvr-Pc?si=jFDiz-YumfFh9wAe
And the video:


Amaranthe-Crystalline, Coliseu dos Recreios, Lisbon, PT, 2026-02-01 HD
https://youtu.be/ArnD5N-GalU?si=PixjQfxmBWgKDP9X
And the video:


Amaranthe-The Catalyst, Coliseu dos Recreios, Lisbon, PT, 2026-02-01 HD
https://youtu.be/VNS5Q21jzak?si=G3dSudyPeBG-hyvI
And the video:


Amaranthe-Re-Vision, Coliseu dos Recreios, Lisbon, PT, 2026-02-01 HD
https://youtu.be/M7qJITLikSc?si=ISEqjlsYzVkrG5mw
And the video:


Amaranthe-Amaranthine, Coliseu dos Recreios, Lisbon, PT, 2026-02-01 HD
https://youtu.be/OhUGxHf1k9I?si=thx71Gxp8TQKrjso
And the video:


Amaranthe-The Nexus, Coliseu dos Recreios, Lisbon, PT, 2026-02-01 HD
https://youtu.be/V_CQFoZ_3FA?si=n9krkI6DfPRRBzKi
And the video:


Amaranthe-Archangel, Coliseu dos Recreios, Lisbon, PT, 2026-02-01 HD
https://youtu.be/WRp6jDKQnP4?si=hNA4ltwKzweggyry
And the video:


Amaranthe-That Song (With Queen's We Will Rock You), Coliseu dos Recreios, Lisbon, PT, 2026-02-01 HD
https://youtu.be/HvHN0Ykmy-0?si=Ydvst_aIcpGgCpoK
And the video:


Amaranthe-Drop Dead Cynical, Coliseu dos Recreios, Lisbon, PT, 2026-02-01 HD
https://youtu.be/yqyGbW689Wo?si=pSnsl5fVyfAoMV1q
And the video:


Time for Epica. They started at 21:58 and played 80 minutes. Played a set of 13 songs.

It was an amazing show. I loved the concert. Was my 2nd Epica show. Simone Simons always freaking amazing.

The band members are:

Current members:
Mark Jansen – rhythm guitar, unclean vocals (2002–present)
Coen Janssen – keyboards, synthesizers, piano (2002–present)
Simone Simons – lead vocals (2002–present)
Ariën van Weesenbeek – drums (2007–present; session member: 2006–2007)
Isaac Delahaye – lead guitar, backing vocals (2009–present)
Rob van der Loo – bass (2012–present)

You can check all the details of the show in the setlist below.

Here it is the setlist:

Edit this setlist | More Epica setlists

01. Apparition
02. Cross the Divide
03. Martyr of the Free Word
04. Eye of the Storm
05. Unleashed (First verse acoustic)
06. Never Enough
07. Sirens - Of Blood and Water (with Charlotte Wessels)
08. Tides of Time
09. The Grand Saga of Existence
10. Cry for the Moon
11. Fight to Survive
12. The Last Crusade
13. Beyond the Matrix
Aspiral (Instrumental)

In bold are the videos I made.

Videos of Epica (6 videos):

Epica-Unleashed (First verse acoustic), Coliseu dos Recreios, Lisbon, PT, 2026-02-01 HD
https://youtu.be/FS7oTxEMOLE?si=JSRyxuD0_vISIJwV
And the video:


Epica-Never Enough, Coliseu dos Recreios, Lisbon, PT, 2026-02-01 HD
https://youtu.be/7WS7rH9Sc6A?si=gy_m3X-ETexjE-Z_
And the video:


Epica-Sirens - Of Blood and Water (withCharlotteWessels), ColiseudosRecreios,Lisbon,PT,2026-02-01 HD
https://youtu.be/CkBSXEvYsOs?si=O3jbIfhhYbRI125S
And the video:


Epica-Cry for the Moon, Coliseu dos Recreios, Lisbon, PT, 2026-02-01 HD
https://youtu.be/ZOmaw9tg1BA?si=KMupjaD797Um-KL7
And the video:


Epica-The Last Crusade, Coliseu dos Recreios, Lisbon, PT, 2026-02-01 HD
https://youtu.be/9c0BcZpbdrw?si=twUb2ZRkl3ow3jP3
And the video:


Epica-Beyond the Matrix, Coliseu dos Recreios, Lisbon, PT, 2026-02-01 HD
https://youtu.be/QrnjQHukMU0?si=dl7BmnM9y3P6_4yR
And the video:

Tarja & Marko Hietala 2026-01-29 Coliseu dos Recreios, Lisbon

Thu, January 29, 2026 in Lisbon, Portugal @ Coliseu dos Recreios

The tour of Tarja & Marko Hietala is: "Living The Dream Together Tour 2026".
This was my first time I saw Tarja live as the main act. I saw her in 2024/11/25 & 26 when she was a guest of Within temptation 2 times. She only sang 3 songs at each of those 2 shows. I never saw Nightwish before. Was always a dream to see that band when Tarja was there.

I arrived at Coliseu dos Recreios at 06:30 am. It was raining.
During the day, some fans that I already knew started to arrive. At 13:00 the main doors of Coliseu opened and we got in to do the queues inside.

Scheduled times next.
18:00 Doors open
19:00 Show was scheduled to start "Serpentyne"
19:40 Show was scheduled to start "Rok Ali and the Addiction"
20:30 Show was scheduled to start "Marko Hietala"
21:55 Show was scheduled to start "Tarja"
23:39 Show ends

At 18:10 we got inside. First we went through the ticket scanner and then I started running inside the arena. I went up 2 flights of stairs. And then I could see on my right the main stage. Already a few people in the middle (the VIPs who got in early, around 10 people). I went to the right side.

We had 3 bands playing before Tarja.

Before "Tarja" Coliseu de Lisboa, played 1st band Serpentyne (London, UK Band), they started at 19:00 and played 30 minutes. Played a set of 6 songs.

I watched a few videos on the days before the show. Some cool sound. I liked to see them here live. They were singing while their own videos were on the screen behind.

The band members are:

Current members:
Maggiebeth Sand – Lead Vocals
Lee Willmer – Guitars
Nigel Middleton – Bass, Vocals
Kevin Murphy – Drummer
John Haithwaite - Keyboards, Drums, Backing Vocals
Marco Biagini - Drums

You can check all the details of the show in the setlist below.

Here it is the setlist:

Edit this setlist | More Serpentyne setlists

01. Angel Of The Night
02. Away From The World
03. Into The Night
04. Helen Of Troy
05. Run For Your Life
06. Dangerous Mind

Before "Tarja" Coliseu de Lisboa, played 2nd band Rok Ali and the Addiction (Nashville, American Band), they started at 19:39 and played 26 minutes. Played a set of 6 songs.

Never heard of them before. To be honest, I wasn't impressed with the vocalist's voice.

The band members are:

Current members:
Alison Krebs (aka Rok Ali) – Lead Vocals
Christopher Nix – Guitar Vocals
Lee Beverly – Bass, Vocals
Kevin Murphy – Drums

You can check all the details of the show in the setlist below.

Here it is the setlist:

Edit this setlist | More Rok Ali setlists

01. Change The Script
02. Vanishing Screams
03. Darker Day, Pt. 2
04. You Want
05. Pulse
06. Violently Fast

Before "Tarja" Coliseu de Lisboa, played 3rd singer/band Marko Hietela (Tervo, Finland), he started at 20:30 and played 65 minutes. Played a set of 10 songs.

Was awesome to see Marko live. I never saw him before. He was always so cool. I love his show. So cool to have Tarja as guest on their song.

The band members are:

Current members:
Marko Hietela – Lead Vocals
Tuomas Wäinölä – Guitarist
Bob Engstrand – Keyboardist
Anssi Nykänen – Drummer

You can check all the details of the show in the setlist below.

Here it is the setlist:

Edit this setlist | More Marko Hietala setlists

01. Frankenstein's Wife
02. Rebel of the North
03. Proud Whore
04. Isäni ääni
05. Impatient Zero
06. The Dragon Must Die
07. Juoksen rautateitä
08. Roses From the Deep
09. Left on Mars (with Tarja)
10. Stones

In bold are the videos I made.

Videos of Marko Hietela (2 videos):

Marko Hietala-Roses From The Deep, Coliseu dos Recreios, Lisbon, PT, 2026-01-29 HD
https://youtu.be/Bgeh-jqDkCM?si=2dJgCFAlT2J528ar
And the video:


Marko Hietala-Left on Mars (with Tarja), Coliseu dos Recreios, Lisbon, PT, 2026-01-29 HD
https://youtu.be/Qwip15CBNYA?si=Q5zA83yq9ZE-9U3a
And the video:


Finally was time for Tarja. She started at 21:57 and played 100 minutes. Played a set of 18 songs.

Key Historical Context:
Nightwish (1996–2005): Tarja was the original vocalist for Nightwish, alongside founders Tuomas Holopainen and Emppu Vuorinen.
Collaboration: She has recently reunited with former Nightwish bassist Marko Hietala for live performances.

It was an amazing show. I loved the concert. First time I saw Tarja live as the main act.
She sang many of her solo songs and even a few of Nightwish. So cool to see Marko singing with Tarja a few songs.

The band members are:

Current members:
Tarja Turunen – Vocals
Alex Scholpp - Guitar
Doug Wimbish (touring) - Bass
Christian Kretschmar - Keyboards
Max Lilja - Cello
Alex Holzwarth (touring) - Drums

You can check all the details of the show in the setlist below.

Here it is the setlist:

Edit this setlist | More Tarja setlists

The Golden Chamber (Loputon Yö) (Intro)
01. Eye of the Storm
02. In for a Kill
03. Undertaker
04. 500 Letters (First time since 2020)
05. Crimson Deep (First time since 2012)
06. Demons in You
07. Victim of Ritual (Extended outro)
08. The Crying Moon / Feel for You / Eagle Eye / Higher Than Hope (with Marko Hietala)
09. Slaying the Dreamer (Nightwish song) (with Marko Hietala)
10. Silent Masquerade (with Marko Hietala)
11. Wishmaster (Nightwish song) (with Marko Hietala)
12. I Walk Alone
Encore:
13. Dead Promises
14. Wish I Had an Angel (Nightwish song) (with Marko Hietala)
15. Until My Last Breath

In bold are the videos I made.

Videos of Tarja (9 videos):

Tarja-Eye Of The Storm, Coliseu dos Recreios, Lisbon, PT, 2026-01-29 HD
https://youtu.be/ZCcJFdpFPZE?si=oluqHg7l0pMgIcR2
And the video:


Tarja-In for a Kill, Coliseu dos Recreios, Lisbon, PT, 2026-01-29 HD
https://youtu.be/lhqGCqmW7F4?si=1K1sWUiL7Tr8tRFz
And the video:


Tarja-500 Letters, Coliseu dos Recreios, Lisbon, PT, 2026-01-29 HD
https://youtu.be/t8GeBYFeSJk?si=_WgvSnCFYg7gg131
And the video:


Tarja-Crimson Deep, Coliseu dos Recreios, Lisbon, PT, 2026-01-29 HD
https://youtu.be/ptlbM61UVK4?si=maWrRsx3wcoFC4Hq
And the video:


Tarja-TheCryingMoon/FeelforYou/EagleEye/HigherThanHope (with MarkoHietala), Col,Lis,PT,2026-01-29 HD
https://youtu.be/7i6d5m5SYiY?si=oCclv3MRJ1xfFgOe
And the video:


Tarja-Slaying the Dreamer (with Marko Hietala), Coliseu dos Recreios, Lisbon, PT, 2026-01-29 HD
https://youtu.be/lGtahTDdnMc?si=jGpVsji9qJXAlQXS
And the video:


Tarja-Silent Masquerade+Wishmaster (with MarkoHietala), Coliseu dos Recreios,Lisbon,PT,2026-01-29 HD
https://youtu.be/hBzx63nzW9g?si=jRRg3bgbDmeiTHT0
And the video:


Tarja-I Walk Alone, Coliseu dos Recreios, Lisbon, PT, 2026-01-29 HD
https://youtu.be/px4tDjCusA4?si=5UIw8_meKHIj8jPq
And the video:


Tarja-Wish I Had an Angel (with Marko Hietala), Coliseu dos Recreios, Lisbon, PT, 2026-01-29 HD
https://youtu.be/j32JTy6MDio?si=69XhSvMP3pF9qgWl
And the video:

Within Temptation & Nightwish 2026-01-26 Hammer, How two unknown European bands changed the face of metal in the 90s - and broke up its boys club

Love this article. I read this article about 2 hours ago and all my memories came back to when I first started listening to these 2 bands around 1997, 1998: Within Temptation and Nightwish.

https://www.loudersound.com/bands-artists/the-story-of-symphonic-metal-within-temptation-nightwish

"A Russian girl came to my parents’ door with suitcases and said, ‘I have sold everything in my life. I’m going to marry your son and live with you now." How two unknown European bands changed the face of metal in the 90s - and broke up its boys club

By Rich Hobson ( Metal Hammer, Classic Rock, Louder ) (published 2026/01/26)

In 1997, two key releases by two emerging bands had a game-changing impact on the metal scene as we knew it.

Tuomas Holopainen got the idea to form Nightwish while fulfilling his national service in the Finnish army. His plan was to create an acoustic band to make ‘campfire music’. Luckily for metal, he soon realised a life of singing Kumbaya was a terrible idea. Even more fortunately, his service was spent in the military band, playing clarinet and saxophone rather than undertaking intensive weapons training or going out on manoeuvres.

“I didn’t have to play around with guns or any of that nonsense,” he says. “There was a lot of free time during the evenings, so I got permission to go to the rehearsal room and play the piano and keyboard. During those months, I composed all the songs for the debut.”

Symphonic metal was barely a stirring of strings at the start of the 90s. Sure, metal had flirted with classical music – Black Sabbath had used strings and piano back in 1972 on Changes, while the likes of Paradise Lost, My Dying Bride and Celtic Frost had found ways to use orchestral instruments in extreme metal. But beyond bands such as Therion and Emperor, who had begun to incorporate symphonic sounds more directly, the relationship had not been formalised.

Then came 1997, and the debut albums from Nightwish and Within Temptation. Separated by more than 2,600 miles, Nightwish and Within Temptation had no way of knowing what the other was doing.

Nevertheless, they shared common traits. Both wrote fantastical lyrics that drew on a sense of escapism. Both had a flair for the dramatic, using symphonic elements to underpin their epic sound. And both had a core male/female songwriting duo that shared singing duties, with the operatic female vocals at the heart of their sound.

“It was clear from the start that [Nightwish] needed to have a female singer,” Tuomas says. “I was a big fan of bands like The Gathering and Theatre Of Tragedy, [as well as Norway’s] The Third And The Mortal and Therion. Their album [1994’s Lepaca Kliffoth] might be the first actual symphonic metal album, ever.”

Similarly, Within Temptation’s Robert Westerholt feels that Sharon den Adel was the key to transforming music he had initially written for his death metal band, The Circle, into WT’s debut album, Enter. “As rudimental as it was, doing demos for our first real songs and having Sharon on every song was like everything falling into place,” he says.

Both bands had a long way to go first. Although Tuomas had already written much of the material for their debut album, Angels Fall First, while in the army, he still needed a band to play it. He recruited childhood friend Emppu Vuorinen on guitar, and together the pair approached another friend, Tarja Turunen, to fill the vacant vocal spot.

“We just walked to the house of our old high-school friend, Tarja, knocked on the door, and asked if she could sing for this little thing called Nightwish,” Tuomas recalls. “She was just a country girl, in the same way we were just country boys, really naïve and full of life.”

The boys had previously heard Tarja singing in school, where she often imitated her icon, Whitney Houston. But by the time she joined Nightwish she had undergone classical training, drastically transforming her voice. The first time they heard her, they were blown away. “We didn’t expect it to be so operatic, so… lyrical,” Tuomas says. “We thought, ‘This is something really unique.’”

Ditching the acoustic experiment after trying out three songs (“it was kind of boring”), they went into the studio to record a demo. “Everybody was just so high and so free,” recalls Tuomas. “[Although] Jukka [Nevalainen, drums] broke his leg coming down from the recording room, so all the bass drums in the last song are made with a keyboard!”

That demo ended up at the label Spinefarm, who responded enthusiastically and released it as Angels Fall First, without any re-recording. Thrilling as that was, Tuomas’s parents’ address from the demo copy had accidentally been printed on the sleeve, which led to some interesting fan encounters.

“There was one girl from Russia who just came to my parents’ door with two massive suitcases and said, ‘I have sold everything in my life. I’m going to come here, marry your son and live with you now,’” he remembers. “It was so baffling, it wasn’t even scary! We got things sorted out, but poor girl!”

At the same time Tuomas was crafting Nightwish, fellow future symphonic stars Within Temptation were getting their start in the Netherlands, following Robert Westerholt’s split from The Circle. Formed in 1992 by Robert and some schoolfriends (including future Within Temptation keyboardist Martijn Spierenburg), The Circle began life as a death metal band but soon evolved.

“The high days of death metal were just ending,” says Robert. “You could clearly see in the later days of that movement people were searching for more melody. With bands like Napalm Death and Carcass, the extremes had been explored, so people were looking at groove and melody. For myself, before I’d discovered metal I was really into symphonic music – Pink Floyd, Marillion, Sisters Of Mercy, The Cure…”

They also began taking cues from bands such as My Dying Bride, The Gathering and Therion, but issues with vocalist Carmen van der Ploeg caused rifts in the band. Luckily, Sharon den Adel was ready to swoop in and save the day.

“Robert was already in The Circle when I met him, but I told him about the school band and he joined that as well,” Sharon explains. “He really liked my singing and we ended up dating. One day he asked if I’d sing for The Circle because their singer hadn’t turned up a lot of times, and I was like, ‘Of course’ – I’d been practising already! I loved the music they were playing.”

The Circle split in 1995, and the following year Robert formed a new band with Sharon on lead vocals. Songs he had written for The Circle formed the basis for Within Temptation’s debut album, Enter, recorded in early 1997. It took its cues from Paradise Lost’s 1991 genre-defining release Gothic, as well as more esoteric influences such as Celtic folk group Clannad, combining elements of doom, goth and folk with pop and cinema. Sharon cites Tori Amos and Bram Stoker’s Dracula as inspirations, while Robert says there were “no rules”.

“It wasn’t like there was a scene to help build the genre at that point,” he explains. “In death metal people were exchanging demos and tapes, so there was some connection. [Symphonic metal] hadn’t evolved yet, so you were just doing your own thing.”

Within Temptation’s Enter was released in April 1997, followed by Nightwish’s Angels Fall First in November. They didn’t immediately set the world on fire, although Angels Fall First would reach No.31 in the Finnish charts in 1998. First, people had to get accustomed to this new genre of music.

“When we first started playing with Within Temptation, nobody knew where to put us because we were melodic, but also had the growling voices and a doomy sound,” says Sharon. “We were strange for metal, but also very strange for the mainstream because we were so dark. It was something they’d never seen before, a girl in a dress playing with this kind of band. We loved it!”

They weren’t alone. They were soon playing to growing crowds in their native Netherlands, and for their fourth performance were invited to play Dynamo alongside similarly grandiose-minded acts including Therion and Dimmu Borgir.

“It was the biggest metal festival in Europe,” Sharon says. “We were nowhere near as visual as we are now. I remember going to a wedding store and buying all these dresses that were on sale, but we didn’t even have a backdrop at that point. We did have moonflowers, though!”

Nightwish were slower to make their live debut, playing on New Year’s Eve 1997, to 400 people. “I remember throwing up before the show because I was so scared,” remembers Tuomas. But within months they were playing with fellow Finns Children Of Bodom.

“There were a few Finnish bands emerging at the same time, for the first time ever,” he says. “Stratovarius, Sonata Arctica, Children Of Bodom, HIM… There was nothing going on for decades and then suddenly, within two years, all these bands broke big time abroad. It was good riding that wave.”

In a genre dominated by men, Sharon and Tarja became role models for women and girls who aspired to sing in a band. “I wouldn’t play music were it not for them,” says Svalbard vocalist Serena Cherry. “Tarja was one of the first women I ever saw performing onstage, at [German festival] Wacken.

You can never underestimate that power of representation. I’d spent all day watching guys performing onstage, then suddenly you have this incredible presence and this soaring voice; seeing that as a woman in the crowd, it made me think, ‘Hey, maybe I can do this too.’ The whole symphonic metal movement – Nightwish, Within Temptation, After Forever, Epica… all those bands were absolutely pivotal in putting women at the front of the stage as singers and valid artists in metal.”

“That’s truly heartwarming. It really is, to hear these kinds of comments,” Tuomas says in response. “We all want to leave a mark on this planet, to achieve something with our lives and what we have done, so to actually hear people say something like that brings tears to my eyes.”

Nightwish and Within Temptation may not have invented symphonic metal, but they certainly defined it, the imagery of corsets forever intertwined with keys and strings thanks to their influence. Twenty-five years since their debuts, both bands are going stronger than ever. They’ve each achieved a string of chart-topping releases, played to arena-sized crowds, and continued to push the genre forwards.

Yet today, Tuomas still has a soft spot for Angels Fall First’s opener, Elvenpath, with its lyric: ‘Home gnome told me to keep the sauna warm for him.’ “I was just a massive fantasy nerd back then and still am,” he smiles. “But in those days, it was on a different level and it shows! There’s nothing that I’m ashamed of on that album. When I listen to the songs, they just put a big smile on my face.”

Meanwhile, Sharon is proud to have influenced a new generation of bands. “I find it so cool, especially hearing that so many girls have been inspired,” she says. “I find it beautiful that there was a new wave of females coming to the table and taking their place. I like development, and I think if we can help other bands get a seat, that’s very cool.”

Originally published in Metal Hammer #360

Taylor Swift - The Fate of Ophelia (Official Music Video)

Here it is finally the new music video from Taylor Swift. This is the first single from the new album "The Life Of A Showgirl" out last October 3, called "The Fate Of Ophilia".
Love the video. I already saw it when I went to see the movie "Taylor Swift:Release Party Of A Showgirl" (2025) last Saturday October 4 with also the making of of this video, was so cool.

Taylor Swift - The Fate of Ophelia (Official Music Video)
624,107 views • Oct 6, 2025
https://youtu.be/ko70cExuzZM?si=tAPiD47L186zh2uW

#TaylorSwift #TheLifeofaShowgirl #TheFateofOphelia
The official music video for “The Fate of Ophelia”, out Sunday, October 5 at 7PM ET.

Hope you will love this awesome lyric "Taylor Swift - The Fate of Ophelia (Official Music Video)".

Taylor Swift - The Fate of Ophelia

I heard you calling on the megaphone
You wanna see me all alone
As legend has it, you are quite the pyro
You light the match to watch it blow

And if you'd never come for me
I might've drowned in the melancholy
I swore my loyalty to me (me), myself (myself) and I (I)
Right before you lit my sky up

(All that time) I sat alone in my tower
You were just honing your powers
Now I can see it all (I can see it all)
(Late one night) you dug me out of my grave and
Saved my heart from the fate of Ophelia (Ophelia)

Keep it one hundred on the land (land), the sea (sea), the sky
Pledge allegiance to your hands, your team, your vibes
Don't care where the hell you been (been) 'cause now (now) you're mine
It's 'bout to be sleepless night you've been dreaming of
The fate of Ophelia

The eldest daughter of a nobleman
Ophelia lived in fantasy
But love was a cold bed full of scorpions
The venom stole her sanity (yeah)

And if you'd never come for me (come for me)
I might've lingered in purgatory
You wrap around me like a chain (chain), a crown (crown), a vine (vine)
Pulling me into the fire

(All that time) I sat alone in my tower
You were just honing your powers
Now I can see it all (I can see it all)
(Late one night) you dug me out of my grave and
Saved my heart from the fate of Ophelia (Ophelia)

Keep it one hundred on the land (land), the sea (sea), the sky
Pledge allegiance to your hands, your team, your vibes
Don't care where the hell you been (been) 'cause now (now) you're mine
It's 'bout to be sleepless night you've been dreaming of
The fate of Ophelia

'Tis locked inside my memory and only you possess the key
No longer drowning and deceived
All because you came for me
Locked inside my memory and only you possess the key
No longer drowning and deceived
All because you came for me

(All that time) I sat alone in my tower
You were just honing your powers
Now I can see it all (I can see it all)
(Late one night) you dug me out of my grave and
Saved my heart from the fate of Ophelia (Ophelia)

Keep it one hundred on the land (land), the sea (sea) (the sea), the sky
Pledge allegiance to your hands (your hands), your team, your vibes
Don't care where the hell you been (been) (you been) 'cause now (now) ('cause now) you're mine
It's 'bout to be sleepless night you've been dreaming of
The fate of Ophelia

You saved my heart from the fate of Ophelia

Dee Snider's PMRC Senate Hearing Speech (Full) 1985-09-19 and "Twisted Sister - We're Not Gonna Take It" official and extended videos

This was an historic speech made in September 19, 1985 by Dee Snider (lead singer of the band "Twisted Sister")

In 1985, a Senate hearing was instigated by the Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC), who wanted to introduce a parental warning system that would label all albums containing offensive material. The system was to include letters identifying the type of objectionable content to be found in each album (e.g. O for occult themes, S for sex, D for drugs, V for violence, etc.). Dee Snider, John Denver, and Frank Zappa all testified against censorship and the proposed warning system. Such a system was never implemented, but the result of the hearing brought about what is now the generic "Parental Advisory: Explicit Content" label.

Full Speech Next:

"I do not know if it is morning or afternoon. I will say both. Good morning and good afternoon.

My name is Dee Snider. That is S-n-i-d-e-r. I have been asked to come here to present my views on "the subject of the content of certain sound recordings and suggestions that recording packages be labeled to provide a warning to prospective purchasers of sexually explicit or other potentially offensive content."

Before I get into that, I would like to tell the committee a little bit about myself. I am 30 years old, I am married, I have a 3-year-old son. I was born and raised a Christian and I still adhere to those principles. Believe it or not, I do not drink, I do not smoke, and I do not do drugs.

I do play in and write the songs for a rock and roll band named Twisted Sister that is classified as heavy metal, and I pride myself on writing songs that are consistent with my above-mentioned beliefs.

There are many facets to this complex issue and time does not permit me to address all of them. However, my feelings are expressed for the most part by the August 8, 1985, letter to the Parents Music Resource Center from Mr. Stanley Gortikov, president of the Recording Industry Association of America.

This letter was a formal response to the PMRC petition of the RIAA. The only part of this document I do not support is Mr. Gortikov's unnecessary and unfortunate decision to agree to a so-called generic label on some selected records. In my opinion this should be retracted.

Since I seem to be the only person addressing this committee today who has been a direct target of accusations from the presumably responsible PMRC, I would like to use this occasion to speak on a more personal note and show just how unfair the whole concept of lyrical interpretation and judgment can be and how many times this can amount to little more than character assassination.

I have taken the liberty of distributing to you material and lyrics pertaining to these accusations. There were three attacks in particular which I would like to address.

Accusation No. 1. This attack was contained in an article written by Tipper Gore, which was given the forum of a full page in my hometown newspaper on Long Island. In this article Ms. Gore claimed that one of my songs, "Under the Blade," had lyrics encouraging sadomasochism, bondage, and rape.

The lyrics she quoted have absolutely nothing to do with these topics. On the contrary, the words in question are about surgery and the fear that it instills in people. Furthermore, the reader of this article is led to believe that the three lines she quotes go together in the song when, as you can see, from reading the lyrics, the first two lines she cites are an edited phrase from the second verse and the third line is a misquote of a line from the chorus.

That the writer could misquote me is curious, since we make it a point to print all our lyrics on the inner sleeve of every album. As the creator of "Under the Blade," I can say categorically that the only sadomasochism, bondage, and rape in this song is in the mind of Ms. Gore.

Accusation No. 2. The PMRC has made public a list of 15 of what they feel are some of the most blatant songs lyrically. On this list is our song "We're Not Gonna Take It," upon which has been bestowed a "V" rating, indicating violent lyrical content.

You will note from the lyrics before you that there is absolutely no violence of any type either sung about or implied anywhere in the song. Now, it strikes me that the PMRC may have confused our video presentation for this song with the meaning of the lyrics.

I's no secret that the videos often depict story lines completely unrelated to the lyrics of the song they accompany. The video "We're Not Gonna Take It" was simply meant to be a cartoon with human actors playing variations on the Roadrunner/Wile E. Coyote theme, Each stunt was selected from my extensive personal collection of cartoons.

You will note when you watch the entire video that after each catastrophe our villain suffers through, in the next sequence he reappears unharmed by any previous attack, no worse for the wear.

By the way, I am very pleased to note that the United Way of America has been granted a request to use portions of our "We're Not Gonna Take It" video in a program they are producing on the subject of the changing American family. They asked for it because of its "light-hearted way of talking about communicating with teenagers."

It is gratifying that an organization as respected as the United Way of America appreciates where we are coming from. I've included a copy of the United Way's request as part of my written testimony. Thank you, United Way.

Accusation No. 3. Last Tuesday a public forum regarding the lyric controversy was held in New York. Among the panelists was Ms. Gore. Trying to stem the virtual tidal wave of antiratings sentiment coming from the audience, Ms. Gore made the following statement:

"I agree this is a small percentage of all music, thank goodness. But it is becoming more mainstream. You look at even the t-shirts that kids wear and you see Twisted Sister and a woman in handcuffs sort of spread-eagled."

This is an outright lie. Not only have we never sold a shirt of this type; we have always taken great pains to steer clear of sexism in our merchandise, records, stage show, and personal lives. Furthermore, we have always promoted the belief that rock and roll should not be sexist, but should cater to males and females equally.

I feel that an accusation of this type is irresponsible, damaging to our reputation, and slanderous. I defy Ms. Gore to produce such a shirt to back up her claim. I am tired of running into kids on the street who tell me that they can't play our records any more because of the misinformation their parents are being fed by the PMRC on TV and in the newspapers.

These are the only three accusations I have come across. All three are totally unfounded. Who knows what other false and irresponsible things may have been said about me or my band.

There happens to be one area where I am in complete agreement with the PMRC, as well as the National PTA and probably most of the parents on this committee. That is, it is my job as a parent to monitor what my children see, hear, and read during their preteen years. The full responsibility for this falls on the shoulders of my wife and I, because there is no one else capable of making these judgments for us.

Parents can thank the PMRC for reminding them that there is no substitute for parental guidance. But that is where the PMRC's job ends.

The beauty of literature, poetry, and music is that they leave room for the audience to put its own imagination, experiences, and dreams into the words. The examples I cited earlier showed clear evidence of Twisted Sister's music being completely misinterpreted and unfairly judged by supposedly well-informed adults.

We cannot allow this to continue. There is no authority who has the right or the necessary insight to make these judgments, not myself, not the Federal Government, not some recording industry committee, not the PTA, not the RIAA, and certainly not the PMRC.

I would like to thank the committee for this time, and I hope my testimony will aid you in clearing up this issue."

By the way here are the 2 official music videos of "We're Not Gonna Take It" the normal video and the extended video.

Twisted Sister - We're Not Gonna Take It (Official Music Video)
76,097,671 views • Aug 4, 2010
https://youtu.be/4xmckWVPRaI?si=2aNxsyWq2u-QFZLJ

You're watching the official music video for Twisted Sister - "We're Not Gonna Take it" from the album 'Stay Hungry' (1984). "We're Not Gonna Take it" has been covered by Donots, "Weird Al" Yankovic, and Lit among others, and has been featured in a number of television commercials and shows.

Twisted Sister - We're Not Gonna Take it (Extended Version) (Official Music Video)
198,499,584 views • Aug 4, 2010
https://youtu.be/V9AbeALNVkk?si=8bfiES6IZ1ISHqGV

You're watching the official music video for Twisted Sister - "We're Not Gonna Take it (Extended Version)" from the album 'Stay Hungry' (1984). "We're Not Gonna Take it" has been covered by Donots, "Weird Al" Yankovic, and Lit among others, and has been featured in a number of television commercials and shows.

Hope you will love this awesome lyric "We're Not Gonna Take It (Official Music Video)".

Twisted Sister - We're Not Gonna Take It

We're not gonna take it
No, we ain't gonna take it
We're not gonna take it anymore

We've got the right to choose it
There ain't no way we'll lose it
This is our life, this is our song

We'll fight the powers that be, just
Don't pick our destiny 'cause
You don't know us, you don't belong

We're not gonna take it
No, we ain't gonna take it
We're not gonna take it anymore

Oh, you're so condescending
Your gall is never ending
We don't want nothin', not a thing from you

Your life is trite and jaded
Boring and confiscated
If that's your best, your best won't do

Whoa
Whoa

We're right (yeah)
We're free (yeah)
We'll fight (yeah)
You'll see (yeah)

Whoa, whoa, we're not gonna take it
No, we ain't gonna take it
We're not gonna take it anymore

We're not gonna take it
No, we ain't gonna take it
We're not gonna take it anymore

No way

Whoa
Whoa

We're right (yeah)
We're free (yeah)
We'll fight (yeah)
You'll see (yeah)

We're not gonna take it
No, we ain't gonna take it
We're not gonna take it anymore

We're not gonna take it (no)
No, we ain't gonna take it
We're not gonna take it anymore

Just you try and make us

We're not gonna take it (come on)
No, we ain't gonna take it
(You're all worthless and weak)
We're not gonna take it anymore
(Now drop and give me twenty)

We're not gonna take it
(A pledge pin)
No, we ain't gonna take it
(On your uniform)
We're not gonna take it anymore

Within Temptation 2024-11-26 MEO Arena-Sala Tejo, Lisbon

Tue, November 26, 2024 in Lisbon, Portugal @ MEO Arena-Sala Tejo

The tour of Within Temptation is: "Blled Out 2024 Tour".
It was my 5th Within Temptation show.

I arrived at MEO Arena-Sala Tejo at 07:10 am. Now it was my second time in this pavilion. It was a sunny day.
During the day, some fans that I already knew started to arrive. Later in the afternoon they set up a merchandising stand where I could see some of the official material for sale.

Scheduled times next.
18:30 General doors
19:25 Show was scheduled to start "Blind8"
20:00 Show was scheduled to start "Annisokay"
21:00 Show was scheduled to start "Within Temptation"
22:35 Show ends

At 18:30 we got inside. First we went through the ticket scanner and then the police check and then I started running inside the pavilion. I went down 2 flights of stairs. And then I could see on my left the main stage already with a lot of people in the middle (the VIPs who got in early). I went to the right side, in front of the end of the stage (about 1 meter to the right from the day before).

We had 2 bands playing before Within Temptation.

Before "Within Temptation" MEO Arena-Sala Tejo, played 1st band Blind8 (Ukranian Band), they started at 19:27 and played 23 minutes. Played a set of 6 songs.

Was my 2nd time watching them. Between the 4th and 5th song they spoke for a few minutes about the war happening in their Country.

You can check all the details of the show in the setlist below.

Here it is the setlist:

Edit this setlist | More Blind8 setlists

01. Laniakea
02. Nightmare
03. O.K.P.
04. Overcome The Darkness
05. Abandoned
06. Bulletproof

Before "Within Temptation" MEO Arena-Sala Tejo, played 2nd band Annisokay (Metalcore German Band), they started at 20:02 and played 33 minutes. Played a set of 8 songs.

Was also my 2nd time watching them. They sing a song with Sharon "Like A Parasite" and after that they sing the Linkin Park cover song of "One Step Closer". They were awesome (this time I was not surprised).

You can check all the details of the show in the setlist below.

Here it is the setlist:

Edit this setlist | More Annisokay setlists

01. Into The Abyss
02. Throne Of The Sunset
03. Ultraviolet
04. Like A Parasite (with Sharon Den Adel)
05. One Step Closer (Linkin Park cover)
06. Human
07. Calamity
08. STFU

In bold are the videos I made.

Videos of Annisokay (2 videos):

Annisokay-Like a Parasite (with Sharon den Adel), Sala Tejo, Lisbon, PT, 2024-11-26 HD
https://youtu.be/fvPSk4IAL1A?si=ID1bV1XTh77_JgZC
And the video:


Annisokay-One Step Closer (Linkin Park cover), Sala Tejo, Lisbon, PT, 2024-11-26 HD
https://youtu.be/AHQnp8dALuQ?si=VZxFihx-J_26QsEu
And the video:


Finally was time for Within Temptation. They started at 20:59 and played 92 minutes. Played a set of 17 songs.

It was an amazing show. I loved the concert. I hadn't seen them for 13 years.
And to see finally "Tarja" playing 3 songs with Within Temptation was a dream. I never made it to see her live not with Nightwish not even when she played as a solo artist.
Was cool that Within Temptation changed 2 songs in the setlist. On the 1st day we had "All I Need" (15th song) and "Mother Earth" (17th song) and on the 2nd day they played "Angels" (15th song) and "Ice Queen" (17th song). This 4 songs are so epic. "All I Need" was always one of my favorite songs. "Mother Earth" and "Ice Queen" are just so epic live. Also love "Angels".
The band members are:

Current members:
Sharon den Adel – lead vocals (1996–present)
Robert Westerholt – rhythm guitar, unclean vocals (1996–present, studio only since 2011)
Jeroen van Veen – bass (1996–present)
Martijn Spierenburg – keyboards (2001–present)
Ruud Jolie – lead guitar (2001–present)
Mike Coolen – drums (2011–present)
Stefan Helleblad – rhythm guitar, occasional backing vocals (2011–present)

You can check all the details of the show in the setlist below.

Here it is the setlist:

Edit this setlist | More Within Temptation setlists

01. We Go to War
02. Bleed Out
03. Ritual
04. Don't Pray for Me
05. Wireless
06. The Reckoning
07. Shot in the Dark
08. Stand My Ground
09. A Fool’s Parade (with Alex Yarmak)
10. The Promise (with Tarja)
11. I Feel Immortal (Tarja cover) (with Tarja)
12. Supernova
13. Faster
Encore:
14. Our Solemn Hour
15. Angels
16. Paradise (What About Us?) (with Tarja)
17. Ice Queen

In bold are the videos I made.

Videos of Within Temptation (11 videos):

Within Temptation-We Go to War, Sala Tejo, Lisbon, PT, 2024-11-26 HD
https://youtu.be/Pe5ojd_cW54?si=bE6kl9-0o8O8Xwgy
And the video:


Within Temptation-Bleed Out, Sala Tejo, Lisbon, PT, 2024-11-26 HD
https://youtu.be/nevGD4jzDDE?si=DhI2aQvp6oIHBopq
And the video:


Within Temptation-Shot in the Dark, Sala Tejo, Lisbon, PT, 2024-11-26 HD
https://youtu.be/C4Jg9IXVZEA?si=kgGINriBxcwYPEF6
And the video:


Within Temptation-Stand My Ground, Sala Tejo, Lisbon, PT, 2024-11-26 HD
https://youtu.be/GwqhqUl830k?si=y4xkJCBGTTQeFLOq
And the video:


Within Temptation-A Fool’s Parade (with Alex Yarmak), Sala Tejo, Lisbon, PT, 2024-11-26 HD
https://youtu.be/mHC1Sdv1CpI?si=pWTaseak51F8DQ9S
And the video:


Within Temptation-The Promise (with Tarja), Sala Tejo, Lisbon, PT, 2024-11-26 HD
https://youtu.be/uKhd1p8A1og?si=sUuwYvFGkq6ecsOq
And the video:


Within Temptation-I Feel Immortal (Tarja cover) (with Tarja), Sala Tejo, Lisbon, PT, 2024-11-26 HD
https://youtu.be/PJpyL2yDMYE?si=NG7VnF-kjjgvwkP4
And the video:


Within Temptation-Our Solemn Hour, Sala Tejo, Lisbon, PT, 2024-11-26 HD
https://youtu.be/3-SW5GDerY8?si=BCJVKB7A389OBeHc
And the video:


Within Temptation-Angels, Sala Tejo, Lisbon, PT, 2024-11-26 HD
https://youtu.be/ZaJqgpK9cYc?si=QGWhkrBJtnM58YmT
And the video:


Within Temptation-Paradise (What About Us?) (with Tarja), Sala Tejo, Lisbon, PT, 2024-11-26 HD
https://youtu.be/gdxTu0ejmwk?si=3eA_XQnWrVSnFSZv
And the video:


Within Temptation-Ice Queen, Sala Tejo, Lisbon, PT, 2024-11-26 HD
https://youtu.be/HXG3Pr8bxvY?si=keM3sQ9wkygoiHAs
And the video: