Freitag, 03.09.2010 | 15:54
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Rock'n'Roll

Avantasia plan a continuation of „The Scarecrow” Von Joachim Herbert, 09.08.2008

Interview * Tobias Sammet / Live-DVD in the making

Avantasia - Tobias Sammet 1The biggest Heavy Metal festival on earth is history since a few days and Avantasia were playing on the second day of Wacken Open Air as headliner in front of officially 75.000 people. Rumour says even 110.000 fans were on the spot, but that’s probably only gossip                                           ;-)

Shortly after Wacken Open Air 2008 I talked to Tobias Sammet and Tobi told me about Avantasias future. This much upfront: He has good news for all the fans!

TOWIU: Tobias, you played with Avantasia as a headliner in front of officially 75.000 people. What went through your head while you were on stage?
Tobias Sammet: Before I went on stage there was no big difference compared to other concerts. I don’t get blown away so easily. I played in Bratislava in the stadium with the Scorpions and also at Sweden Rock there were 30.000 people. That’s not unusual in a festival season. But you can’t compare Wacken with that. Here were people as far as the eye can see, I couldn’t see until the end. And I thought: ‘They came to see me’.

TOWIU: I was watching you from the photo pit and you were looking at the audience happy and fascinated and were saying to yourself: “Unbelievable”. Then the fans started to shout “Tobi, Tobi”…
Tobias Sammet: Yes, every once in a while I talk to myself ;-) And as the fans started shouting my name I only thought ‘Yes, they seem to like me’.

TOWIU: So Wacken was your biggest concert?
Tobias Sammet: Yes, this was the biggest show. Even for Iron Maiden, who played as headliner the day before, it was a big show. Maidens manager said after Rock in Rio this was the biggest concert the band ever played.

TOWIU: The fans were enthusiastic about your show, there were a lot of good critics. Is there anything left to come after a concert like this?
Tobias Sammet: On stage I thought ‘Holy shit, what a career’. More isn’t possible, you can’t achieve more than this. But for a musician I’m pretty young, I still have some years to come. If a football player wins the World Cup he still goes on and wants to play well. To have fun doing what I do is very important for me.
I just mustn’t assume that things like that repeat all the time, but I can work towards it. You also get goose-pimples if you play in the Czech Republic in front of 25.000 people. And this summer we played in front of at least 300.000 people at festivals in the last four weeks.

TOWIU: The fans are longing for a Live-DVD and additional concerts from Avantasia. The guestbook on your website is full with fans wishing a continuation of your success story. How will the future of Avantasia look like?
Tobias Sammet: There will definitely be a Live-DVD. All together we recorded four complete shows, which are the ones in Switzerland, in Sweden, in the Czech Republic and of course Wacken. I already saw pieces of a raw version of the recording and they were absolutely phenomenal!

TOWIU: And what about a new album? Will your project Avantasia continue someday?
Tobias Sammet: Yes, we are planning a continuation of “The Scarecrow”. The base frame will be the same as on the current album, may be one or the other singer will join us as a special guest. Jorn Lande, Bob Catley and Amanda Somerville will be in on it again. I have to ask André Matos, but I think he will say ‘yes’.

TOWIU: When will the new album and the Live-DVD be released?
Tobias Sammet: First in November the new Edguy-album “Tinnitus Sanctus” will be released and then an Edguy Live-DVD. We recorded some material for this DVD a while ago.
Then there will be the continuation of “The Scarecrow” followed by the Avantasia Live-DVD.

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