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 Lione, Luca 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 Tales, Rhapsody 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 Beethoven, Niccolò 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
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
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