Rhapsody Reunion

Rhapsody Reunion: The 20th Anniversary Farewell Tour

The 20th Anniversary Farewell Tour was a concert tour by former members of Rhapsody of Fire. It was announced on November 21, 2016 by ex-members Luca Turilli (lead guitar, founder and composer),   Fabio Lione (vocals), Patrice Guers (bass), Dominique Leurquin (lead and rhythm guitar, and Alex Holzwarth (drums). The first gig was in Le Brise Glace in Annecy, France on April 26, 2017, and the last one in La Riviera Madrid on March 20, 2018.

It has celebrated the 20th anniversary of Legendary Tales and had a number of their classic songs played at their shows, along with the album, Symphony of Enchanted Lands in it´s entirety.

Fabio, who had been the lead singer has stated that the original band will no longer exist as the other members want to do different projects.

Alex Staropoli who played the keyboards was not playing on this tour, to focus on his work with his own band, Rhapsody of Fire.

Fabio LioneLuca Turilli, Dominique Leurquin, Patrice Guers and Alex Holzwarth proudly announced the reunion of the original members of Rhapsody of Fire, and the relevant farewell tour of the band.

The Italian band, Rhapsody of Fire, one of the greatest icons of Symphonic Power Metal, gathered together to commemorate the 20th Anniversary from their first official release, played their album  Symphony of Enchanted Lands in full, as well as other classics of the band. It was an exciting and emotional event no one should ever miss, as this (was) the only and last chance to see the band performing on stage together. But, in 2018 the whole band started a new project, called Turilli/Lione Rhapsody.

Since it´s consecration in 1997 with the album Legendary TalesRhapsody of Fire has become a worldwide awarded band thanks to its unique, epic and orchestral sound. Initially baptised in the “Hollywood Metal” style, because of its movies-related fascination and its characteristic epic soundtrack elements, the Italian band established itself as one of the biggest names in Symphonic Power Metal  thanks to their second release, Symphony Of Enchanted Lands, which soon became a classic of that music genre.

Rhapsody’s main influences also include classical composers such as Antonio Vivaldi, Johann Sebastian Bach,  Ludwig van BeethovenNiccolò Paganini  and many others (the song “The Wizard’s Last Rhymes” (video) from Rain Of A Thousand Flames, for example, is based on Antonín Dvořák’s ‘New World Symphony’).

These elements made the band clearly unique in the whole Heavy metal scene and, thanks to its magic, gathered lots of fans all over the world and inspired many bands, giving birth to a brand new musical wave and genre, that established a real and effective Rhapsody imagery.

The 20th Anniversary Farewell Tour will represent a last chance for everyone to feel part of that wonderful magic once again. Luca, Fabio, Patrice, Dominique and Alex will celebrate such important and historical event with and for their amazing fans!

Luca Turilli stated: “I am really super excited to be part of this unique and special event together with Fabio and my other friends. The fact of playing legendary songs like ‘Wings Of Destiny’, ‘Beyond The Gates Of Infinity’ and ‘The Dark Tower Of Abyss’, never played on stage before, will be the best way to celebrate the 20th Anniversary and a great reason to meet together for a very last time.

This farewell tour represents for me the closing of one important chapter of my music career, as in the future I will dedicate myself to the cinematic music style of my new ‘Luca Turilli’s Rhapsody’ band and to other important projects exclusively.

Don’t miss such amazing event. It will be the last time you will be able to see us together on stage. We wait for all of you to share some wonderful emotions and live together some memorable nights!”

Fabio Lione continued: "Magic"… this is what I always wanted to find in music… and when I think about this great and unique opportunity to be again on stage with Luca, Holzy, Dominique, Patrice and celebrate with them the 20th Anniversary of the band… well… I can say this is truly ‘magic’! 

What an emotional moment remembering our great friend Christopher Lee, our stories, our feelings. After many years and things happened, I feel the time is right now… the time to close this important chapter of my artistic life in the best way, with my old friends, and share such ‘magic’ once again. 

We will celebrate 20 years of band history with all of you, beloved fans, in an unforgettable and glorious ‘last time party’. Be a part of it!”

Members

Fabio Lione - lead vocals

Luca Turilli - lead guitar, rhythm guitar

Dominique Leurquin - rhythm guitar, lead guitar

Patrice Guers - bass guitar

Alex Holzwarth - drums

Tour Schedule

Europe (Warm-up show)

April 26, 2017 Annecy France Le Brise Glace

Latin America

April 29, 2017 Monterrey Mexico Café Iguana

April 30, 2017 Mexico City Mexico Circo Volador

May 1, 2017 Guadalajara Mexico C3 Stage

May 3, 2017 Bogota Colombia Royal Center

May 5, 2017 Santiago Chile Teatro Caupolican

May 6, 2017 Rio de Janeiro Brazil Vivo Rio

May 7, 2017 Sao Paulo Brazil Tom Brasil

May 10, 2017 Porto Alegre Brazil Opinião Bar

May 11, 2017 Florianopolis Brazil John Bull

May 12, 2017 Curitiba Brazil Opera de Arame

May 13, 2017 Belo Horizonte Brazil Music Hall

May 14, 2017 Buenos Aires Argentina El Teatro Flores

Europe/Festivals

June 7, 2017 Milan Italy Alcatraz

June 10, 2017 Sölvesborg Sweden Sweden Rock Festival

June 17, 2017 Dessel Belgium Graspop Metal Meeting

June 24, 2017 Nummijärvi Finland Nummirock

July 21, 2017 Vinci Italy Festa dell'Unicorno

August 11, 2017 Vagos Portugal Vagos Metal Fest

August 12, 2017 Villena Spain  Leyendas del Rock

November 2, 2017 Moscow Russia RED Club

Asia

November 6, 2017 Tokyo Japan Tsutaya O-East

November 7, 2017 Tokyo Japan  Tsutaya O-East

November 8, 2017 Nagoya Japan Club Quattro

November 9, 2017 Osaka Japan Umeda Club Quattro

November 11, 2017 Seoul South Korea MUV Hall

November 12, 2017 Taipei Taiwan The Wall Live House

November 14, 2017 Shanghai China Bandai Namco

November 15, 2017 Xi'an China 1935 Live House

November 17, 2017 Beijing China Mao Live House

Latin America

January 7, 2018 Sao Paulo Brazil Tom Brasil

January 8, 2018 Asunción Paraguay Teatro Guarani

January 10, 2018 Salta Argentina Teatro del Huerto

January 11, 2018 Buenos Aires Argentina Groove

January 13, 2018 La Paz Bolivia Teatro Al Aire Libre

January 14, 2018 Lima Peru Teatro de la Uni

January 16, 2018 Santiago Chile Teatro Caupolican

January 18, 2018 San Salvador El Salvador CIFCO

January 20, 2018 San Jose Costa Rica Pepper Club

January 21, 2018 Bogota Colombia Metal Millennium

January 23, 2018 Medellin Colombia Teatro Universidad de Medellin

January 24, 2018 Cali Colombia Teatro Jorge Isaacs

January 26, 2018 Chihuahua Mexico Expo Chihuahua

January 27, 2018 Monterrey Mexico Café Iguana

January 28, 2018 Mérida Mexico Mambo Café

January 30, 2018 Mexico City Mexico Circo Volador

North America

February 1, 2018 Grand Turk Turks and Caicos Islands 70000 Tons of Metal

February 4, 2018 Grand Turk Turks and Caicos Islands 70000 Tons of Metal

Europe

February 17, 2018 Bologna Italy Zona Roveri

February 18, 2018 Treviso Italy New Age

February 19, 2018 Rome Italy Orion

February 20, 2018 Milan Italy Alcatraz

February 21, 2018 Freiburg Germany Crash

February 23, 2018 Eindhoven Netherlands Effenaar

February 24, 2018 Antwerp Belgium Trix

February 26, 2018 London England Islington Academy

February 28, 2018 Leeuwarden Netherlands Neushoorn

March 1, 2018 Bochum Germany Zeche

March 2, 2018 Hamburg Germany Grünspan

March 4, 2018 Stockholm Sweden Fryshuset

March 6, 2018 Warsaw Poland Proxima

Luca Turilli farewell & appreciation speech (Live Madrid 2018)

March 8, 2018 Budapest Hungary Barba Negra Club

March 9, 2018 Zlín Czech Republic Masters of Rock Café

March 10, 2018 Zvolen Slovakia Rates Sports Hall

March 11, 2018 Regensburg-Obertraubling Germany Eventhall Airport

March 13, 2018 Munich Germany Backstage

March 14, 2018 Mannheim Germany MS Connexion Complex

March 15, 2018 Pratteln Switzerland Z7

March 16, 2018 Paris France Trabendo

March 17, 2018 Toulouse France Metronum

March 18, 2018 Barcelona Spain Razzmatazz 2

March 20, 2018 Madrid Spain La Riviera

"The time finally came! We are actually here in Madrid for the last show of the Rhapsody Reunion And Farewell Tour and the atmosphere is really particular as we know this is clearly the end of an era. For one very last time we’ll be hearing the intro running while warming up in the backstage, for one last time we will enter the stage and will play the songs of our reunion setlist in front of our beloved fans, for the very first time we’ll look at the lights fading down while being filled with a sense of emptiness… and at the same time, a monumental THANK YOU rising from our hearts and souls will be silently dedicated to you all, a deeply felt thank you for all the wonderful moments shared together in the name of RHAPSODY’s music and for having been our source of inspiration with your unlimited love and passion through these twenty cinematic years. Peace and Love to You all!" - Luca Turilli

So this is the end of Rhapsody Reunion. Thanks to all the beloved fans that have been supporting us all over these years, it was such a fun and emotional Farewell Tour. Thanks to our amazing road crew: you are family, you are the best! Contra Promotion GmbH and all the local promoters that made this tour possible. Nuclear Blast for the support as always. Beast In Black and Scarlet Aura for being great human beings and musicians, and of course being our company on this journey. Feat First Management and Top Link Music for the guidance and support.
We are missing you already!

This is a sample setlist from their warm-up show at, Le Brise Glace in Annecy, France:

Epicus Furor (intro)

Emerald Sword

Wisdom of the Kings

Eternal Glory

Beyond the Gates of Infinity

Knightrider of Doom

Wings of Destiny

The Dark Tower of Abyss

Riding the Winds of Eternity

Symphony of Enchanted Lands

Drum Solo

Land of Immortals

The Wizard's Last Rhymes

Bass Solo

Dawn of Victory

Encore:

Rain of a Thousand Flames

Lamento Eroico

Holy Thunderforce

In Tenebris/Gargoyles, Angels of Darkness (extract/outro)

Source: rhapsodyreunion.com & Wikipedia