{"id":245304,"date":"2026-04-11T17:35:28","date_gmt":"2026-04-11T17:35:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/245304\/"},"modified":"2026-04-11T17:35:28","modified_gmt":"2026-04-11T17:35:28","slug":"helloween-beast-in-black-in-dallas-tx-with-photos","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/245304\/","title":{"rendered":"HELLOWEEN, BEAST IN BLACK In Dallas, TX With Photos!"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Pumpkinheads Unite For A 40th Anniversary Celebration Tour Kickoff At The Bomb Factory On April 7th<\/p>\n

All Live Photos By Larry Petro\/Petrofyed Photography
Band Photo Credit: Mathias Bothor<\/p>\n

As concerts go, this was truly one for the ages. Growing up, I like to think I played a role in introducing my younger brother to heavy metal\u2014and for the most part, that holds true. Still, there were several bands he turned me on to in return: ROUGH CUTT, GRIM REAPER, and ARMORED SAINT immediately come to mind, along with the early glam\/hair-era incarnation of PANTERA (yes, I go back that far). HELLOWEEN was another such discovery\u2014though, until now, I had never had the opportunity to see them live.<\/p>\n

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Since I began contributing to KNAC.COM over 25 years ago, HELLOWEEN has remained firmly on my photography bucket list. For reasons I still can\u2019t quite explain, the last several tours\u2014this current run included\u2014have bypassed Houston altogether. So when this tour was announced, and with no guarantee of how many more chances I might have to catch them live, I decided to attend opening night in Dallas at The Bomb Factory in the Deep Ellum district\u2014a venue I\u2019d only visited once before, back in 2018, when JUDAS PRIEST, SAXON, and BLACK STAR RIDERS shared the bill. Much like that previous experience, the venue proved exceptional in every respect, not least due to a staff that is nothing short of outstanding.<\/p>\n

Joining the festivities on this 40th Anniversary Tour (or 42nd, if we\u2019re being precise\u2014but who\u2019s counting?) was Finnish powerhouse BEAST IN BLACK, founded by former BATTLE BEAST guitarist Anton Kabanen and fronted by Greek vocalist Yannis Papadopoulos. I had previously caught the band in Houston in 2023 during their headlining run, serving as the show\u2019s sole photographer. To this day, they remain unmatched in their willingness to engage the camera\u2014posing, performing, and reveling in the moment more than perhaps any act I\u2019ve photographed over the past two decades.<\/p>\n

The band\u2019s lineup, however, has seen some recent shifts. Longtime guitarist Kasperi Heikkinen departed mid-tour last year while BEAST IN BLACK were on the road in Europe with HELLOWEEN. Daniel Freyberg (of CROWNSHIFT and formerly CHILDREN OF BODOM) was brought in as a touring replacement alongside Kabanen. Then, in a somewhat unexpected twist, Kabanen announced\u2014on the very morning the U.S. tour began\u2014that he would be sitting out the run to focus on completing the band\u2019s long-awaited new album. The decision itself was understandable; the timing, however, raised more than a few eyebrows.<\/p>\n

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Regardless, BEAST IN BLACK wasted no time asserting their presence, launching into their ten-song set with \u201cPower of the Beast,\u201d the title track from their 2024 release, before barreling through \u201cHardcore\u201d and \u201cSweet True Lies.\u201d Their seamless blend of power, pop, and electronic metal proved a perfect complement to the tour, and from the outset it was clear they were thrilled to be back on U.S. soil. The energy remained high as they tore through fan favorites like \u201cBorn Again,\u201d \u201cDie By the Blade,\u201d and \u201cBlind and Frozen,\u201d alongside the new single \u201cEnter the Behelit\u201d\u2014a track that intriguingly bridges the worlds of Diablo and the acclaimed manga Berserk\u2014before closing with their anthemic rallying cry, \u201cNo Surrender.\u201d<\/p>\n

If you haven\u2019t experienced them yet, consider this your invitation.<\/p>\n

Setlist:<\/p>\n

\u201cPower of the Beast\u201d
\u201cHardcore\u201d
\u201cSweet True Lies\u201d
\u201cBorn Again\u201d
\u201cFrom Hell With Love\u201d
\u201cEnter the Behelit\u201d
\u201cDie by the Blade\u201d
\u201cOne Night in Tokyo\u201d
\u201cBlind and Frozen\u201d
\u201cNo Surrender\u201d<\/p>\n

At precisely 7:45, following a swift stage changeover, the house lights dimmed and a roar surged through the crowd. A towering video screen at the back of the stage flickered to life, its ominous, trademark eyes slowly parting to reveal a stark, mountainous landscape. As the visual journey unfolded\u2014album imagery crashing into the terrain while the camera swept dramatically through the scene\u2014the PA thundered with Robbie Williams\u2019 \u201cLet Me Entertain You,\u201d followed by \u201cInterlude.\u201d Moments later, HELLOWEEN stormed the stage, opening with \u201cMarch of Time\u201d\u2014a perfectly chosen overture for an anniversary tour steeped in legacy.<\/p>\n

From the outset, the band radiated joy and confidence, tearing through their set with precision and enthusiasm. \u201cThe Keeper,\u201d the faceless, hooded figure, made his presence known via the PA to introduce the sprawling, 13-minute epic \u201cThe King for a Thousand Years,\u201d which seamlessly gave way to \u201cFuture World,\u201d complete with a playful nod to \u201cGorgar\u201d in its intro.<\/p>\n

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What followed was a staggering two-hour-and-twenty-minute performance that traced the band\u2019s evolution from \u2018Walls of Jericho\u2019 (1985)\u2014with early cuts like \u201cHeavy Metal (Is the Law)\u201d and \u201cRide the Sky\u201d\u2014through to their latest opus, \u2018Giants & Monsters\u2019. From the latter, four tracks were showcased: \u201cA Little Is a Little Too Much,\u201d \u201cInto the Sun,\u201d \u201cThis Is Tokyo,\u201d and \u201cUniverse (Gravity for Hearts).\u201d As expected, \u2018Keeper of the Seven Keys Parts I & II\u2019 formed the backbone of the evening, contributing nine songs, including staples like \u201cEagle Fly Free,\u201d \u201cDr. Stein,\u201d and \u201cTwilight of the Gods.\u201d<\/p>\n

Remarkably, for an opening night, the band was utterly flawless. Where one might anticipate the occasional misstep, none emerged. Instead, HELLOWEEN operated as a finely tuned metal machine. Guitarists Kai Hansen, Michael Weikath, and Sascha Gerstner, alongside bassist Markus Grosskopf and drummer Daniel L\u00f6ble, locked in with surgical precision. Vocalists Michael Kiske and Andi Deris led the charge, engaging the audience with effortless charisma while keeping between-song banter to a minimum\u2014letting the music speak volumes. The production was equally impressive, with expansive LED backdrops and side panels delivering vivid, dynamic visuals throughout, though it\u2019s easy to imagine smaller venues on the tour scaling this down.<\/p>\n

Perhaps the most compelling aspect of the evening was the interplay between Kiske, Deris, and Hansen. While lineup changes are commonplace in the music world, it is exceedingly rare\u2014if not unprecedented\u2014for multiple former and current vocalists to share the stage in such harmony, both literally and figuratively. The trio alternated lead duties with fluid ease: Deris commanding certain songs, Kiske others, Hansen revisiting his own material, and at times all three uniting in rich, layered harmonies. Their camaraderie was palpable, elevating the performance into something truly special.<\/p>\n

Roughly two-thirds into the set, the intensity gave way to a more intimate moment as Kiske and Deris took seats at the front of the stage with an acoustic guitar for \u201cIn the Middle of a Heartbeat.\u201d The segment opened with playful snippets of \u201cYesterday\u201d by THE BEATLES and \u201cSlip Slidin\u2019 Away\u201d by Paul Simon, before transitioning into \u201cA Tale That Wasn\u2019t Right.\u201d The first half unfolded acoustically, gradually building as the full band rejoined for a spirited, jam-infused finale.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThe Keeper\u201d reappeared once more to herald the climactic pre-encore performance of \u201cHalloween,\u201d after which the band exited to deafening chants. They soon returned for a triumphant three-song encore\u2014\u201cEagle Fly Free,\u201d \u201cPower,\u201d and \u201cDr. Stein\u201d\u2014before closing the night with the soaring final chorus of \u201cKeeper of the Seven Keys.\u201d<\/p>\n

If there is one show to see this year, make it this one. The tour continues through May 2nd in Las Vegas, with stops in cities including Orlando, Boston, New York City, Denver, Seattle, and Inglewood.<\/p>\n

Legacy acts would do well to take note: HELLOWEEN has set a formidable standard for how to celebrate a career. One can only hope others rise to meet it\u2014perhaps extending beyond the increasingly common 60- to 75-minute sets and delivering something truly worthy of their own histories.<\/p>\n

Setlist:<\/p>\n

\u201cLet Me Entertain You\u201d (Robbie Williams) (PA)
Interlude (PA)
\u201cMarch of Time\u201d
The Keeper (PA)
\u201cThe King For A 1000 Years\u201d
\u201cFuture World\u201d
\u201cThis Is Tokyo\u201d
\u201cWe Burn\u201d
\u201cTwilight Of The Gods\u201d
The Keeper (PA)
\u201cRide The Sky\u201d
\u201cInto The Sun\u201d
\u201cHey Lord!\u201d
\u201cUniverse (Gravity For Hearts)\u201d
\u201cHell Was Made In Heaven\u201d
Drum Solo
\u201cI Want Out\u201d
\u201cIn the Middle Of A Heartbeat\u201d (Deris\/Kiske acoustic)
\u201cA Tale That Wasn\u2019t Right\u201d (1st half Deris\/Kiske acoustic, 2nd half whole band)
\u201cA Little Is A Little Too Much\u201d
\u201cHeavy Metal (Is The Law)\u201d
The Keeper (PA)
\u201cHalloween\u201d<\/p>\n

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Encore:<\/p>\n

Invitation (PA)
\u201cEagle Fly Free\u201d
\u201cPower\u201d
\u201cDr. Stein\u201d
\u201cKeeper Of The Seven Keys\u201d (Final Chorus)<\/p>\n

Remaining Tour Dates:<\/p>\n

04\/12\/26 \u2013 Orlando, FL \u2013 House of Blues
04\/14\/26 \u2013 Silver Spring, MD \u2013 The Fillmore
04\/15\/26 \u2013 Boston, MA \u2013 Citizens House of Blues
04\/17\/26 \u2013 New York, NY \u2013 Palladium Times Square
04\/18\/26 \u2013 Montreal, QC \u2013 L\u2019Olympia
04\/19\/26 \u2013 Toronto, ON \u2013 Queen Elizabeth Theatre
04\/21\/26 \u2013 Milwaukee, WI \u2013 The Rave
04\/23\/26 \u2013 Denver, CO \u2013 Paramount Theatre
04\/25\/26 \u2013 Salt Lake City, UT \u2013 The Depot
04\/28\/26 \u2013 Seattle, WA \u2013 Paramount Theatre
04\/30\/26 \u2013 San Francisco, CA \u2013 The Warfield
05\/01\/26 \u2013 Inglewood, CA \u2013 YouTube Theater
05\/02\/26 \u2013 Las Vegas, NV \u2013 House of Blues<\/p>\n

BEAST IN BLACK<\/p>\n

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