Tag: music

Tiamat Coming to Sofia

~ Veselin ~ 14 Comments

1994 feels like a lifetime ago. That was the year I got my very first cassette of metal music – Master of Puppets by Metallica. The tape, however, was longer than the album itself, and the friend who gave it to me decided to fill the extra space by recording two bonus tracks, one on each side.

This was the first one:

So, in a sense, my metal journey started with Tiamat as much as it did with Metallica. So this Swedish group, I largely forgot existed, is coming to Sofia on November 15th.

The other song I had as a bonus to Master of Puppets was this joyful piece by the German band Crematory. That band later changed their style and are still active with more ordinary rock music.

The Phantom of the Opera, Sofia 2024

~ Veselin ~ 4 Comments

I’m happy with the show. The music and execution were fantastic. It’s one of those events that sticks with you and leaves a lasting memory.

The team managed to sneak in some Bulgarian jokes and contemporary puns and localize the experience, particularly with Phantom’s signature. It was never PO.

It was difficult to find the cast – not on the show’s website or anywhere inside the venue. Leaving here for future reference, we had Nadim Naaman as the Phantom, Harriet Jones and Georgia Wilkinson as Christine, Lara Martins as Carlotta, and Dougie Carter as Raul. Sources – here and here.

This was the first time I had visited the number one hall of NDK (4K+ seats) since childhood. I researched where the music would be best. I think the 18th row was a bit far from the stage and I could’ve tried to find something closer, perhaps on another day.

It’s not too late to visit the show, it performs until Sunday.