Velvet Viper – “Respice Finem” Release Show
Location: Logo, Hamburg
Date: April 5th, 2018
Can anyone remember Velvet Viper? At the beginning of the nineties the band was founded by Jutta Weinhold. Velvet Viper told the story of Zed Yago (the fictional daughter of the Flying Dutchman). Two albums have been released in the two / three years of existence. That the music of Zed Yago and Velvet Viper did not fall into oblivion afterwards, was ensured by Jutta Weinhold with her various solo projects. With the Jutta Weinhold Band or with musical readings to her book “Die Tochter des Fliegenden Holländers: Auf der Suche nach der verlorenen PhantaSIE ” (published in 2011) she kept the memories of it. 26 years after “4th Quest For Fantasy” she has now revived Velvet Viper. With new musicians the third album “Respice Finem” was produced. And she has presented this to her fans in the Logo. The pictures of the evening are available on Flickr.
Gradually, the cult club filled up on this Thursday night. Shortly after 20:00, the intro “Valkyrie Ride” ushered in the journey into the dramatic fantasy worlds of Velvet Viper (and Zed Yago). I am always enthusiastic about the clear and powerful voice of Jutta Weinhold. She proved that already at the opener “Don’t Leave Before Wintertime”. The newly formed band played all (!) Eleven songs of the current album this evening. Of course, time travel to the late eighties / early nineties was a must. Whether “Merlin”, “Mary Stuart Highland Queen” or the title song “Respice Finem” – new and old harmonized wonderfully with each other. In “Zed Yago”, probably the most well-known song, the fans sang along loudly. Jutta dedicated the “Black Bone Songs” to a longtime musical companion. The drummer Bubi “Der Schmied” (whose real name is Claus Reinholdt) died in January. He was a founding member of Zed Yago and later also played with Velvet Viper and the Jutta Weinhold Band. With the additions “Law Of Rock” and the Zed Yago classic “Rose Of Matyrdom” the show ended shortly before 10pm. The fans have witnessed a legendary evening, the resurrection of Dramatic Metal, which has been significantly influenced by Jutta Weinhold. That was metal without frills and without much bombast. In addition to Jutta, guitarist Holger Marx in particular was able to shine with many filigree solos. And one can hardly believe it, it was the first live performance of Velvet Viper. A successful start of the following tour of the quartet.
Setlist
- Intro Walkürenritt
- Don’t Leave Before Wintertime
- Shadow Ryche
- Merlin
- Dangerous
- Ogaydez
- Fraternize With Rats
- Eternally Onwards
- Stormy Birth
- Loherangrin-Lohengrin
- Millstone Of Rage
- Mary Stuart Highland Queen
- Raven Evermore
- Respice Finem
- Zed Yago
- The Fear Of Death
- Black Bone Song
Zugabe
- Law Of Rock
- Rose Of Matyrdom
MHF Magazine/Rainer Kerber
