Friday night at the Wise Hall was exactly the kind of night that reminds me why I love shooting live music.
With Ensiferum bringing their epic folk-metal sound to Vancouver, the Wise Hall was packed for a completely sold-out night — and judging by the crowd, people didn’t just come for the music. They came dressed for the occasion.
There were costumes everywhere, including one woman who showed up as a full-on shield maiden — shield and all. And she wasn’t just carrying it around for decoration. Once the mosh pit got moving, you’d catch glimpses of that shield rising above the crowd like a battle standard.
And then there was Spider-Man.
Yes, that Spider-Man. If you’ve spent any time around Vancouver’s live-music scene, you already know exactly who I’m talking about. Seeing him hanging out in the middle of an Ensiferum crowd somehow felt completely appropriate.
Musically, Ensiferum brought everything you’d want from a night of folk metal. The soaring, almost operatic vocals mixed with crushing riffs and relentless blast beats created this strange combination of epic and absolutely ferocious. There were moments when the vocals made the whole room feel massive, only for the drums to kick in and make you want to move.
Actually, forget “move” — those blast beats made you want to dance.
And that’s what made the night so much fun. The music wasn’t just something happening on stage; you could feel it physically in the room. The pit was moving, people were singing, heads were banging, and that shield kept popping up above the crowd.
I had a fantastic time at Ensiferum, and once again, the Wise Hall proved why I love shooting shows there. There’s something about that room when it’s packed with the right crowd — you’re not just watching the show, you’re part of the atmosphere.
Great music, an absolutely wild crowd, a shield maiden in the pit, Spider-Man somewhere in the middle of it all, and enough blast beats to get everyone moving.
Honestly, Friday night at the Wise Hall was pretty damn fun.