Persefone was in Istanbul! Hello from the other side of two amazing days that made me feel like I was on tour with the band.

There are some concerts with massive productions, sold-out arenas, tickets gone months in advance… Well, this wasn’t one of those. But trust me, it was something way more special. Let’s be honest, Persefone doesn’t have a huge fanbase in Turkey. And that’s exactly why this night felt like a VIP show for those of us who were there. No crowds pushing, no stress, just pure music and connection. We had space, we had sound, and we dived right into it. It was one of those nights that felt personal and rare.

The night kicked off with Alkera. I knew they had shared the stage with Symphony X before, but this was my first time seeing their full live performance. And let me tell you, my face probably screamed shock and admiration the entire time. The band was like two different spirits fused into one. Onur Çobanoğlu brought that classic heavy metal vibe—both in vocals and style—while the music in the background leaned more toward a polished, modern sound. Dream Theater and Fates Warning fans would definitely find familiar elements in their music. But did their style completely align with Persefone? That’s debatable. However, the contrast somehow worked, and the mix of energies made the whole experience satisfying for the crowd.

And then, it was Persefone’s turn. First thing to notice—there was no bassist. Why? No clue, I didn’t ask. But later, I saw him liking the band’s Instagram posts from home. Didn’t show up, but still stalking—respect. Maybe he, too, thought this was a true VIP gig.

As for the vocals, Daniel joined us with Lingua Ignota Part 1, and honestly, he fit in perfectly. Not just vocally, but his stage presence was top-notch. No ear-piercing tones, no forced theatrics—just a smooth, natural flow.

They started with some Lingua Ignota tracks, which set the mood right away. One Word was one of the most anticipated songs of the night, and they didn’t disappoint. The setlist also covered tracks from their older albums. But the moment I realized Aathma was the highlight (which is my personal favorite album), that was it for me. That was the jackpot.

Now, we all know those bands that act like rock gods with sky-high egos, right? Persefone is not one of them. On the contrary, they set up their own merch stand, sold their own stuff, and casually hung out with fans like it was no big deal.

One of the coolest parts of the night was the Kara Haber concert newspaper. 99 copies were handed out for free, and whoever got one could get it signed by the band. Huge shoutout to Erkan and Ali Mert (and anyone else involved in putting this together). The newspaper also featured my interview with Persefone, so seeing fans walking around with signed copies was pretty special for me too. In a time when everything is digital, it felt great to hold onto something physical—a little piece of the night that stays with us. Plus, it gave people a chance to interact with the band, take photos, and have a more personal experience.

So, final thoughts? Musically, Persefone is already on another level. But seeing them be this humble, down-to-earth, and fully in the moment just made their music hit even harder. If a band spreading messages of spiritual unity had turned out to have massive egos, that would’ve been the real shocker. Luckily, these guys were as real as it gets.

Will they play for a bigger crowd next time? Maybe. But this night was special for us, and it’ll stay that way.

Big thanks to everyone who made this show happen. And for the Ankara gig review, I’m sending you over to Barış’s page.