24/06/2025 – SAVATAGE + INDUCTION @ Alcatraz

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Report a cura di Elio Ferrara

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Report Di Elio Ferrara
Photographs of Fabio Livota

It was the year 2001 when “Poets. Therefore, Madmen” was released, the latest Savatage album studio. Meanwhile, With the musicians engaged in various projects-including. Furthermore, above all, that of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra-between periods in which a possible return was ventilated and periods in which it was no longer talking about it, the years have passed and in the meantime the death of the historical producer, Paul O’Neill (who disappeared in 2017), has also become an authentic added member of the band and author of almost all the texts, in the latest albums of the American group.
Just when the return for live shows was finally decided. Therefore, a bad accident was also received by Jon Oliva, which caused him to break a vertebra. Furthermore, Yet. Nevertheless, in the end, this 24/06/2025 – savatage + induction tour did the same and the SavataGege arrived at the Alcatraz in Milan (the only Italian date) for a show that promised to be grandiose and who did not betray the expectations at all.

We arrive near the alcatraz in advance. before the opening of the doors, scheduled for 19 and we realize immediately how the wait for this event is really feverish: never seen such a long tail to access the location, practically the row made the rounds of at least two sides of the building and probably went even further in the arch of a few minutes. When the induction began to play. the room was already crowded – perhaps not yet full full, but almost – and this to further confirm how, with all due respect for the German band, the public was not willing to get lost even a moment of this event, after a wait lasting 24/06/2025 – savatage + induction twenty -four years. Moreover. it was not a completely obvious result if we think that on the same evening names of the caliber of Linkin Park and Nine Inch Nails also played in Milan, but this was a very particular show and one could not be missing.

The INDUCTION I am a Power Metal band initially formed by Czech guitarist Martin Beck, of which you then practically ‘appropriate’ Tim Hansen (son of the legendary Kai of Helloween and range Ray). Therefore. this ‘son of art’ 24/06/2025 – savatage + induction perceives the first album without Beck, or “Born from Fire”, originally published in 2022 and, not surprisingly, almost all the songs in the lineup are taken from that album.
The line-up has never been particularly stable. tonight the group presents itself with a four-way formation, with two guitars, battery and voice. Moreover. the new singer, the talented Gabriele Gozzi, plays practically at home, since it is Italian and highlights it well for its interpretative qualities but also for its ability to keep the stage and catalyze the attention of a large and important audience like that of tonight.
For his part. Tim is undoubtedly a good guitarist and is certainly found at ease in this formation with two guitars, as per school, in fact, of many Power Metal bands.
There is also room for a cover. the legendary “The Final Countdown” of Europe (albeit without keyboards, but patience) and are also presented two 24/06/2025 – savatage + induction singles that will be included in the new album in preparation: the first, “Medusa”, in reality it was already released last year, while it is very recent “Beyond Horizons”, really welcomed very positively by the public and also on our part, letting us hope for the new job.
In principle. the induction are not a band that seems to be able to redefine and relaunch the genre, but as confirmed also this show, very valid, they can certainly bring freshness and new vigor to the power metal.

Setlist Induction:
Born From Fire
Fall fishing rod
I Am Alive
The Final Countdown (Europe cover)
Set Your Free
Medusa
Beyond Horizons
Go To Hell
Queen Of Light

At 20:50. everyone acclaims now loudly Savatageprotagonists of the evening, which start a few minutes later.
On the stage. on the notes of “The Ocean”, Jeff Plate on the drums arrives thus and they appear to follow the two guitarists, Chris Caffery and to Pitrelli, the 24/06/2025 – savatage + induction historic bassist Johnny Lee Middleton and in addition, in the absence of Jon Oliva, two keyboards are included, Paulo Cuevas and Shawn McNair, who will also have the task of giving a hand to the Singer Zak Stevens.
Of course. the lack of Jon Oliva is very sorry and it is felt, but already from the initial jokes of “Welcome”, but also of the subsequent “Jesus Saves” and “Sirens” – two pieces that are two cornerstones with the ‘Mountain King’ Jon on the voice – it is clear how these musicians are loaded and ready to overwhelm the listeners with a disruptive charge.
Moreover. we note how this in all is the same formation that gave birth to a wonderful album as “The Wake of Magellan” and a masterpiece as “Dead Winter Dead” and, not surprisingly, these are the full-length from which most of the songs are extracted.
The songs are accompanied by 24/06/2025 – savatage + induction images projected on a screen. which most often recall the artwork of the relative album or the themes covered by the song (for example, for “The Storm” you can see a ship that tackles a storm): sometimes, these act as a simple background, other times the musicians go to synchronize perfectly with them.
In the case of “Chance”. however, the flags of different countries of the world are sent in sequence: curiously, only the Italian one seems to be missing, which instead, surprisingly, appears to be very large at the end of the song, thus arousing the acclamation of the public.

Speaking of the latter. we had the feeling that not even the musicians were expected such a warmth and such involvement: Stevens could have safely sit and attended the show, because all the songs, from the beginning to the end, were sung in unison at the top Not even the 24/06/2025 – savatage + induction writer witnessed something like that, however he really seemed to have gone back at least twenty years, because everyone followed the show and they were an integral part of it, it was not the usual concert today where everyone is filming or taking pictures with mobile phones or you are right to wait for this or that successful single. A total involvement for about two hours. a palpable passion by all present (mostly between forty and fifty, but not only), who rediscovered the joy and beauty of living music as something alive and authentic.
When we talk about passion. emotions, the Savares are probably almost unreachable: Chris Caffery is now the most sincere spokesman for this spirit and also launches himself to sing in “I Am”, while Pitrelli is an absolute master, author of Assoli to say the least by chills, capable of leaving enchanted with every single note.
The culmination of 24/06/2025 – savatage + induction emotions. where we really saw great difficulties in holding the tears from many for the emotion, obviously touched with “Believe”: Jon Oliva appears on the screen that sings and plays the plan for the first verse, on which the band is then inserted, while they continue to scroll images with photos of Criss Oliva, a truly out -of -the -level guitarist, whose memory is always vivid, Even today his tragic disappearance.

In any case. public separately, Zak does his job very well and stands majestic not only in ‘his’ – so to speak – “Edge of Thorns”, but also in classics such as “Gutter Ballet” and “Hall of the Mountain King”; We liked it a little less maybe in the final “Power of the Night”, where he tried to emulate too much the various Jon’s screens and acute, but it doesn’t matter, because he now turned to the end a 24/06/2025 – savatage + induction show to say the least epic, extraordinary, fabulous.
In conclusion: yes. it would have been more beautiful if Jon had also been there; It would have been nice even if more songs of the period with Criss Oliva had been inserted in the lineup. This is undoubtedly true. however, we must also see, how the care of the show in all the details with a truly excellent organization (and patience if on a June evening it had been closed, all in all the heat was quite tolerable, considering the number of people), the capital test of the band, the warmth and love of the public, have given birth to a particular atmosphere, rare to recreate, which testifies to how there is really a great desire for Savare and the band itself It will be easily realized.
The much announced new album will probably arrive: in the meantime. while the wait continues, Zak, 24/06/2025 – savatage + induction Al, Chris, Jeff and Johnny gave us a truly unforgettable evening, to be written in the Annals.

Setlist Savatage:
The Ocean (con intro di “City Beneath The Surface)
Welcome
Jesus Saves
Sirens
Another Way
The Wake Of Magellan
This Is The Time (1990)
Strange. Wings
Al Pitrelli solo/The Storm
All That I Bleed
Handful Of Rain
Chance
Starlight/I Am/Mozart And Madness
Dead Winter Dead
The Hourglass
Believe
Boys ballet
Edge Of Thorns
Encore:
Power Of The Night
Hall Of The Mountain King

INDUCTION

Savatage