Are there any (other) pumpkinheads in this forum? (helloween)

[Lady Lucifer]

I went to go see Pumpkin United last weekend! Second time I saw Helloween in concert! I had a blast, but my sensory overload and social anxiety did act up a little. Nothing debilitating though. I think it really depends on the concert goers crowd. The audience here was mostly men in their fifties or sixties. I saw mabey five or six women there. I had to be the only person under fourty.

Now, I've been to a few metal concerts in my lifetime, and from all the concerts I've been to, this had to be the roughest crowd I was part of. It was a sold out show, limited space, and a lot of rude, drunk old dudes. I had this issue last time I saw the band, the only difference is the first time I came with my dad, who could be intimidating to other people. And that venue at the time was also bigger, despite it being a sold out show. There was an area where you could mosh and there was an area where you could film the concert/headbang without moshing. Not at this venue. We were packed in there like sardines. I'm also very tiny (5'0 to be exact) and the average height here had to be 5'8 to 6 and these dudes weren't gonna move, even for a little lady like myself.

I mostly saw Sasha, playing his (bass?) guitar. We made eye contact and it was awesome! <3 I did see a bit of my celebrity husband, Andi Deris, as he prances across stage, quite a bit. I also got to see Michael Kiske a few times. Now Kai Hansen and Weiki were more static, as they rarely ever moved. I saw Weiki for a total of two whole minutes, and Hansen mabey a good five. Which is sad because I really liked his leather attire. He was one good looking dude.

I'm surprised at the song line up that was used. There were no songs from the newest album. Livin Ain't No Crime and I'm Alive apparently made the line up. They are songs I didn't think were that popular and are not my favorite. Also really disappointed there was no Keepers Trilogy. They did full versions of Halloween and Keepers....but no King for 1000 Years. Was that song not a fan favorite?

Anyway, thats my concert experiance. Any other Pumpkinheads on this forum? I know metal is a common music topic around these parts. I have a few unpopular opinions about this bad, and mabey we could share more unpopular opinions?

First out of the three vocalist, Deris is my favorite. Kiske is a very close second, what holds him back is his song writing days when he was in Helloween. (he was seventeen I believe) I can't speak after his departure, as I don't follow his other groups. Not a huge fan of Kai Hansen's voice. Its too nasaly and dry for my liking. I do like Ride the Sky, but from the small snippets of his other songs I'm not a fan of. (I never fully listened to Walls of Jehrico)

Favorite album: For Kiske era, I have to give it to Chameleon. Its by no means a metal album, but the few metal songs that are on the album are amazing. I really get emotional during most of these songs on this album. Music or Longing are my favorite songs on that album. For Deris era, I really like Dark Ride. It has the most memorable songs, in my opinion.

Least Favorite Album: Pink Bubbles, which is really obvious (though I have a few personal favorite songs on that album) and Better than Raw, as it was one of few Helloween albums I felt hesitant to buy in full. I sampled it on Spotify first and I was like, "what is going on here?" Its not Pink Bubbles terrible, but its not one of my go to albums either. (Game we shouldn't play has to be on my top 10 favorite Helloween songs though)

Other: I really liked the Unarmed Compilation album. Deris said he hated the album as it was super clumsy when it comes to direction. And to an extent, he is right. For example, what is up with I Want Out or Future World? But this album is actually what introduced me to the band and reintroduced me to the metal genre. This album romances non metal listners and thus making them more curious to check out their other albums. Had I not listened to the Keepers Triology, I would not be the pumpkin head I claimed to be.

 

[AloneNotLonely]

Me, but it seems we are total polar opposites. Also more of a general metal head too, not specifically into just Helloween. But I certainly prefer them to Blind Guardian... and these days that's saying a lot.

Chameleon is total crap. I do agree with Pink bubbles go ape being crap too, though. I think the lineup was just horrid at that time and they made due with what they had. My favorites are probably split between Better Than Raw, Dark Ride and Rabbit Don't Come Easy. Everyone seems to consider Rabbit Don't Come Easy crap, but I just think they can't appreciate the complete insanity that it is. It's just not a whole bunch "Look at how fast we can riff" songs without being boring pop songs like Chameleon and Bubbles.

Not a big fan of the Keeper albums either. Walls of Jericho blows them out of the water. It's almost like Iron Maiden, their first album gets no love despite being the best thing they ever put out. I think the reason the Keeper albums are so loved is because it was really the first of it's kind. Walls of Jericho was a pretty generic (although one of the best ever) speed metal album, while Keeper of the Seven Keys is pretty much all Helloween.

The whole sardines thing is the reason I probably won't ever go to a metal concert. I was too old for that crap already when I was 14. The 40-50 year old crowd does seem more positive. I wouldn't want to be stuck in a crowd of a bunch of 20 somethings. Also pretty cool that they didn't play any of the new stuff. I also don't think any of the crowd would have any interest in that. They're probably all there for Keeper songs. So hence why masterpieces such as King for a 1000 years are also passed up, I'd be very surprised if they played anything from Dark Ride.

 

[Lady Lucifer]

My favorites are probably split between Better Than Raw, Dark Ride and Rabbit Don't Come Easy.

Oooh yes, I do love Rabbit Don't Come Easy. I love Back Against the Wall & Nothing to Say

Chameleon is total crap.

I can totally see why anyone would hate that album. I like it becuase its very different from other experimental albums I've listened to. How I'd describe the album to newbies is if a group of friends got really wasted and then decided to record an album. I don't mind pop music (to a certain extent. I hate whats currently popular.) as its a way of introducing the genre to new listeners. (For example, if it hadn't been for Iron Man and Crazy Train, I would never be listening to metal)

Not a big fan of the Keeper albums either.

I did a review of the first two thirds a long time ago. From my memory sake, I liked part two over part one as part one was a complete mess. I'm not sure why, its been a while since I've listened to the full thing. I haven't heard much from part three, as I only own the Mrs. God EP (the third part was way too expensive on Itunes)

almost like Iron Maiden, their first album gets no love despite being the best thing they ever put out. I think the reason the Keeper albums are so loved is because it was really the first of it's kind.

Yep, Helloween is just Queen + Iron Maiden, especially Kiske era. Deris era is more complicated to explain as all the albums sound different from one another. Dark Ride is heavy, dark with some seductive and silly imagery. My God Given Ride is cheese on top of great riffs.

Also pretty cool that they didn't play any of the new stuff. I also don't think any of the crowd would have any interest in that

They were rocking to it last time .(that was two years ago, when the album just hit though) Not only that, the newest song was on the line up (or else they wouldn't be having this tour) that got the crowd rolling.

They're probably all there for Keeper songs. So hence why masterpieces such as King for a 1000 years are also passed up, I'd be very surprised if they played anything from Dark Ride.

Belive it or not that was all Kiske part. Deris and Hansen cameoed during a few times for the Keepers bit. For Deris it was a bit all over the place. I know its physically impossible to have one song per album for such a short time frame. The most recent Deris went (aside from Pumpkins United) was Straight Outta Hell. (Waiting for the Thunder) I'm surprised "Are You Metal" also made the line up. I mean I like that song but I wouldn't consider it to be the greatest Helloween song either.

I take it you haven't been to a Helloween concert before? If you want my advice, the next tour (after Pumpkins United), if they are playing in a smaller venue, go and see them, becuase your less likely to run into crazy fans like I did the second time. You'll still get the greatest hits live plus whatever new stuff makes it to the line up. But its more of a controlled enviorment. Though the crowd age may vary. The first time I saw them (small venue), the crowd was pretty split. There were a few people my age in the mosh pit, but all the 40s+ were on the sides not moshing. That venue also didn't sell alchol either, I think that may of impacted my concert experiance. The most recent time (last week, large venue too many people) was chaotic. I still had a blast, but I wouldn't drag a non Pumpkin head or newbie listner or even someone who has yet to see them in concert to this sort of enviorment. Aspie or not.

 

[AloneNotLonely]

Eh... maybe. It depends on where the venue is. I don't want to go into the "wrong locale" so to speak. I don't go to concerts at all, not a big fan of a ton of people packed into a small space. If I were to go it would be something extremely niche where the "masses" won't show up. Helloween is unfortunately not so niche and quite popular.

Seriously wouldn't describe it as anything like Maiden or Queen. Helloween has a unique sound you can't really describe as a fusion of elements. Now it's no longer unique as the whole "power metal" genre is for most part a copy of Helloween's style. Maiden is super generic. I mean it sounds cool, but it's boring and nearly everything is the same (except for first album). They had a good run for a decade, but after that it just became all about rehashing the same popular formula. Meanwhile, Helloween doesn't give a damn and puts out stuff like Rabbit and Legacy. Helloween could've rehashed Keeper over and over again but they were like "Ok that was cute, time to piss everyone off with a few pop albums". They also never lost their edge, as Gambling with the Devil clearly shows.

Never went from "pop" to metal myself. When I was young I preferred Classical, then through TV/Radio I mostly liked Dio because it was the only good stuff on and later found out Rainbow was way better. Then by the time I was old enough to choose (Have a computer and internet haha) I started finding stuff like Theory in Practice, Opeth, Wolf since those were real easy to find since everyone was hyping them right around that time. Helloween took a while though... Could never listen to pop, although even that isn't as bad as R&B.