We photographers standing in the pit received a clear warning before the show started. During the first songs, both confetti cannons and pyrotechnics were expected, and the organizer wanted to ensure that no one left without their eyebrows.
And it went off with a bang.
"Roses on Your Grave" opened the concert at a high tempo with confetti swirling over the crowd. During "All I Want" and "Things We Love", more and more people continued to stream in. When we photographers had to leave the pit, it was barely possible to get through as more people wanted to get closer to the stage.
I saw Eclipse at Vasateatern in Stockholm last autumn, a show that demonstrated the band's strength even on a smaller and more intimate stage. There was a whole other closeness to the audience there, while Skogsröjet's larger stage allowed for a more lavish production with pyro and confetti. It was also clear that Eclipse masters the larger format. Victor Crusner on bass, Magnus "Adde Moon" Andreasson behind the drums, and guitarist Magnus Henriksson together with Erik Mårtensson have a strong chemistry on stage. Erik and Victor go down on their knees in a guitar duel, and Erik and Magnus play back to back – it’s clear that the band enjoys being on stage, and that energy is contagious for the audience.
When it’s time for "The Downfall of Eden", Erik Mårtensson takes the opportunity to say that it’s his personal favorite song. The audience’s response indicated that many shared that view.
When the ballad "Hurt" comes, the concert takes on a different character for a moment. Here, Erik Mårtensson truly gets to show the breadth of his voice, from the powerful parts to the more delicate and sensitive moments. After that, the band shifts up again. As Erik himself exclaimed with a smile: "It's Saturday night!"
Before "Runaways", Erik jokingly asks if the audience knows that Eclipse has actually participated in Melodifestivalen. The song took the band to the competition in 2016, where they finished fifth in their heat. On the Skogsröjet stage "Runaways" feels much more at home, and the audience’s response says it all.
Seventy minutes go by quickly when you’re having fun, and when "Viva La Victoria" closes the evening, it feels almost a bit abrupt. You leave the concert both happy and a little overwhelmed – and would have gladly stayed for a few more songs.
