Title: Obscura - A Valediction Tour
Date: 2022-09-17 21:30

[![Obscure poster]({static}/images/obscura_a_valediction_tour.jpg)]({static}/images/obscura_a_valediction_tour.jpg)

The 14<sup>th</sup> of September, I had to joy to go to the [Komplex
457](https://komplex-457.ch), to see [Obscura](https://realmofobscura.com)
live, as part as their [A Valediction Europe
2022](https://realmofobscura.com/obscura-a-valediction-europe-2022/) tour! I
was expecting the concert to take place in the
[Saal](https://komplex-457.ch/event/saal) with a ton of attendees but it was in
the (way smaller) [Klub](https://komplex-457.ch/event/klub), with something
like a bit less than 100 people in the public.

Obscura's [Cosmogenesis]({filename}/music/obscura_cosmogenesis.md) was
[released in 2009]( https://obscura.bandcamp.com/album/cosmogenesis ),
and it is not only one of my favourite album, but it also marked
a turning point in how I listen and enjoy music. I distinctly remember the first
time I listened to it: the completely alien sound of the fretless bass
sounding a bit like alien brass instruments, the complicated constructs
with elements of classical music that I'd heard before,
lyrics about space and cosmology, … so I was super-excited to finally see them
live!

The first band, [Disillusion](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disillusion_(band))
was kinda meh: not my jam. But [Persefone](https://persefone.com) (likely the only metal
band in [Andorra](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andorra)]) didn't disappoint: I
really liked their [Spiritual Migration](https://vicisolumrecords.bandcamp.com/album/spiritual-migration)
album, and their whole set was in the same vibe.
And then entered Obscura! The frontman, [Steffen Kummerer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steffen_Kummerer)
had a smile almost as big as mine, and both lasted the whole show.
Heck, everyone in the band was smiling and cheering, despite playing in a small
venue in front of so few people. Their joy and energy were not only present on
stage, but shared by everyone in the audience. The musical craftsmanship and
technical abilities were, as expected, completely surreal.

The setlist was dope: [Ocean Gateways](https://obscura.bandcamp.com/track/ocean-gateways),
[Emergent Evolution](https://obscura.bandcamp.com/track/emergent-evolution),
[A Valedition](https://obscura.bandcamp.com/track/a-valediction),
[The Anticosmic Overload](https://obscura.bandcamp.com/track/The-Anticosmic-Overload),
[Orbital Elements II](https://obscura.bandcamp.com/track/Orbital-Elements-II),
[Universe Momentum](https://obscura.bandcamp.com/track/Universe-Momentum),
[Akróasis](https://obscura.bandcamp.com/track/akr-asis),
[When Stars Collide](https://obscura.bandcamp.com/track/When-Stars-Collide),
[Septuagint](https://obscura.bandcamp.com/track/Septuagint)
and of course it ended with
[Incarnated](https://obscura.bandcamp.com/track/incarnated), with everyone
singing along.

Amazing evening, and a childhood dream absolutely fulfilled.