Hey everyone!

We’ve just wrapped up the Borknagar concert at Zorlu PSM Studio, and despite the weather in Istanbul, the place was packed. The crowd included many people who have known each other for years, and perhaps some who admire each other (such is the unifying power of Borknagar). The concert being held at Zorlu was a definite advantage. The venue’s accessibility for both Anatolian and European sides of Istanbul, along with its satisfying performance facilities, definitely contributed to the large turnout.

It was Borknagar’s first concert in Turkey, and I believe the packed audience was quite satisfying for the band. At least, I like to think so because they hinted at returning to Istanbul. As for the band’s performance, it wasn’t jaw-dropping for me. The setlist seemed quite short. They took the stage at 9:30 PM, and the concert was over before 11:00 PM. To be objective, I had checked out some of their older live recordings before the concert. I noticed that their previous concerts also featured short 40-minute sets. Compared to the YouTube recordings I found, the Borknagar we watched at Zorlu PSM was much better. However, I did notice significant shortcomings in the clean vocals. Aside from the stage performance, their interaction with the audience was strong (especially Vortex), and they did a great job of engaging the crowd.

From a technical standpoint, there were a few good and bad aspects. Zorlu PSM Studio is a venue capable of handling metal music and meeting audience demands. Although there were some sound issues (like crackling), they didn’t last long, and overall, the sound was satisfactory. My biggest issue was the stage being overwhelmed with fog. I couldn’t manage to take a single decent photo. Combined with the constantly moving lights, it was quite challenging for those watching from the back or higher up to see the stage clearly.

Thanks to Duality Productions and Vera Müzik for organizing this event and bringing Borknagar to their fans. It probably won’t be long before we see the band in Turkey again. Borknagar’s hint about returning is surely good news for those who missed this concert.

Setlist:

1. The Fire that Burns
2. Frostrite
3. The Rhymes of the Mountain
4. Universal
5. Ad Nocturn
6. Up North
7. Voices
8. Colossus
9. The Ruins of Future
10. Oceans Rise
11. The Dawn of the End
12. Winter Thrice

Don’t forget to get your tickets for upcoming metal concerts:
We’ll be back at Zorlu PSM Studio on October 23rd for “Doom Over Istanbul”!