Meden Agan are one of the most important female-fronted bands in Greece, so when it was announced that they would be playing live at Piraeus Club Academy to celebrate twenty years of their career, it was only natural that Myth of Rock scheduled to be there. And so it happened. In the lines that follow, you’ll read about a special night that also featured Senses, a hard rock/melodic metal band that really stands out, and The Silent Wedding, one of the best bands in the Greek prog/power metal scene. Before getting into the details, it’s worth pointing out that this show was Meden Agan’s first live appearance after the departure of their vocalist, Dimitra Panariti.
by Dimitris Zacharopoulos
photos by Iro Kalligeri (@irokalligeriphotography)
The doors were scheduled to open at 8:00 pm, something that ended up happening with a delay of about half an hour, with the crowd entering a Piraeus Club Academy that, without being completely packed, was filled with fans of all three bands.
We didn’t have to wait long, as within just a few minutes Senses took the stage, following the intro of “Sirius” by The Alan Parsons Project. Their opening song was “Hard Action”, as part of a set that was based on their excellent debut album, “Out of Line”, along with a cover of Andy Taylor’s “I Might Lie”. Just like at their previous concert, Senses were impressive and more than satisfied everyone in attendance. Once again, it was clear how tight a band they are, how much passion they put into every note, how professional their mindset is and how strong their songs really are. As a result, a small technical issue with the drums didn’t discourage anyone. The singer was spot on, the guitars had a powerful and crystal-clear sound and the rhythm section was on fire. The highlight of the set was, of course, their big hit “Silent Disco”, while the performance of “I Know” was also special, featuring guest vocals by Efi from Euphrosyne. Overall, it was a wonderful performance by Senses.
According to the night’s schedule, The Silent Wedding were next to take the stage after Senses. We only had to wait a few minutes before The Silent Wedding appeared in front of us, choosing “Time of Darkness” as their opening track. For almost an hour, the band delivered their high-quality prog/power metal, thrilling the audience. Marios Karanastasis and his bandmates performed some of their finest songs, such as “The Sea of Fate”, “Point of No Return”, “The Endless Journey”, “Stealing the Sun” and “Catharsis”. They were technically flawless and played their hearts out, something that didn’t go unnoticed by anyone, so we thanked the band with loud cheers and warm applause. Marios was incredible as a frontman, combining vocal excellence with seriousness and humility, leading a wonderful band that has released nothing but admirable music so far. Unfortunately, due to time constraints (completely understandable, if you ask me), they didn’t end up playing one song they had originally planned, and closed their set with the captivating “Song of the Dead”. The Silent Wedding proved that they belong to the top tier of the global prog/power metal scene and renewed our live appointment for the near future.
In this excellent way, we moved on to the main course of the night: the headliners Meden Agan. As mentioned earlier, this was their first appearance without Dimitra Panariti on vocals, so there was understandable anticipation about how her departure would affect the band. The gothic/symphonic metallers had chosen Elena Stratigopoulou to handle the vocals for this particular show, though not as their new permanent singer.
With the intro “Awaken the Nightmare” playing and the crowd cheering, the musicians took their positions on stage. That’s when I noticed that behind the Meden Agan drum kit was the well-known Mpampis Tsolakis (Fragile Vastness, Paladine). The band opened their set with “Moth”, making a strong and impressive entrance, and for nearly an hour and a half they performed some of their best compositions. From a technical standpoint, they played very well, while Elena Stratigopoulou delivered a solid vocal performance, showing that she has a beautiful voice with great range, more than adequately filling the gap left by Panariti.
That said, it was clear that the band was affected by the situation — somewhat restrained and not in the best psychological state. Still, they did everything they could, gave their absolute best, and made every effort to please their audience. It should also be noted that, despite her strong performance, it was evident that Elena Stratigopoulou was a session vocalist rather than a permanent member of the band. She didn’t have much interaction with the crowd and didn’t speak on behalf of the band. That role was taken on by Diman, who spoke frequently between songs and was essentially the frontman of the band.
Nevertheless, Meden Agan ensured we had a great time and partied with the fans for their 20-year anniversary. They had a very good sound overall and fully delivered, performing their catchy songs with emotion, as well as a nice cover of Queen’s “The Show Must Go On”. In any case, it was a big event for Meden Agan and their supporters, complete with some welcome surprises, as several special guests joined them on stage: the young Panos Stasinopoulos of Hordes of Hell, who contributed his brutal-style vocals; Dimitris Giannakopoulos of Victims of Judas, who sang on the cover of Michael Sembello’s “Maniac”; and Ilias Zounis of Karma Violens, who added brutal vocals to some Meden Agan tracks. The night ended with everyone in high spirits, as the show wrapped up a little after midnight with a triumphant performance of “Lustful Desires”.
Even though it was a difficult period for Meden Agan, Diman and his bandmates proved that they belong to the elite of today’s female-fronted gothic/symphonic metal scene. The band’s twenty-year anniversary was a brilliant feast, and a new, important chapter is now beginning for Meden Agan. It’s up to them to do even better tomorrow, as they have all the ability and passion required to move forward!
It was an outstanding event, dominated by metal melodies and emotion. A true feast and genuine fun for both the bands and the audience!
