So I saw them on Thursday when they came to Portland, and I really can only echo what has already been said. I had already been an Orphaned Land fanatic, but that was only from listening to their music. Seeing them live added an entire new element to my appreciation of the band. They are so energetic and positive, and fun! Orphaned Land were the main draw for me, of all the touring bands. I have seen Katatonia before and am not a fan, and I had not heard of Swallow the Sun (and while enjoying their music found their live set and performance to be rather boring), but Orphaned Land more than made up for the rest of the bands' lack. They played very well, bringing the multilayered aspects of the recorded material to a live setting, playing with a positive energy that was absolutely infectious. The crowd really got into them, even though most of the people in Portland hadn't heard of them before.
I loved their selection of songs, was so excited to see songs like "Sapari", "Birth of the Three" and "Norra El Norra" included. Man, they really just blew the roof off the place from the first song and didn't let up at all. It's also nice to see a band play and know that they are having fun doing it.
Also, a little side note, I had mentioned making something for the guys. I made them beaded bracelets (
seen here), which I had the opportunity to give them before they played. I didn't really know what to expect from them, as far as personalities go, when meeting, but it warmed my heart to see how genuine and cool they were, how much the gifts meant to them. They were all very receptive, thankful and gracious. It was just awesome to meet them and know that they were just as thankful for the opportunity to play for the audience as the audience was thankful for the opportunity to see the band. That kind of appreciation seems rare amongst artists.
