It is not that unusual that we are kept waiting and the gig start is delayed, but hey, something has to happen for the first time. The audience are not let in into the main hole, and the first band is doing a secret sound check that apparently no one is allowed to see. Are they only doing sound checks in tights? Wrong answers only. 

Jokes aside, Sorcerer, in fact, are the band I am most interested in checking. Mainly because of their axeman Kristian Niemann, a wizard I have first heard of while listening to Therion.  The first bands always have an advantage of a better sound, since they have literally just finished checking, and Sorcerer’s sound beautiful right from the beginning. I note absolutely massive bass from Justin Biggs, who claims that it is just a Darkglass pedal straight to amp, but we know it is fingers. I am in the first row, and everything is in its place, audible and properly shaped. This gig had something new to me - three backing vocalists (after the 2nd song they are properly put in the mix), that are all superb. 

Sorcerer are described as a doomy heavy metal, which is correct, but it does not really fall into any of such categories separately. Now what exactly did I come for? Niemann delivers absolutely insane solos. Beautiful, fast and not for everyone to master. They released their last album Reign of the Reaper two years ago, it received fabulous reviews, and a big part of the setlist is from this album. 

At some point I notice that the snare spring detached from the snare, but somehow Stefan Norgren manages to put it back during the song (at least, the proper snare sound is back). I leave the first row and now see something that one can see only from afar - quite a spectacular light show going on as well. A quality set for the band that easily could have headlined this day, and, since they started later, they also finished much later than the schedule says. 

Next on the list are locals Communic from Kristiansand. I have never heard of them before, but they are not new to a lot of people in the audience. The band starts with beautiful passage with very bright clean guitar. Then as the intro ends and high gain kicks in, I note how much gain the Kemper has - tremolo picking gets squeaks and some notes are not readable. This trap is quite common for such kinds of gear. I note very nice vocals by the mainman guitarist Oddleif Stensland. 

Despite looking like a Nu-metal / Hardcore act, Communic are much more doomish compared to Sorcerer. Quality material, but it is dangerous to play after Sorcerer, and it is just not my cup of tea, - one must be a true fan to sustain the long setlist. 

The final act, our own Norwegian Dio, Jørn Lande, or simply Jorn, is on stage. Everyone is delayed today, so is Jorn, but the delay is totally worth it. Tungur Knivur is the opener, it is a beautiful long ballad. Jorn owns the room, Rockefeller audience show they know the lyrics by singing all the words. Jorn is our one and only, his vocal’s force shivers, he is brilliant. He is the main element in the mix, and he sounds flawless. 

Jorn’s band sounds both gentle and spicy at the same time. Strangely, they are way lower in volume than the first two bands, and I would wish the mix could do more justice to guitars. The setlist consists of a lot of covers and, as mentioned above, unsurprisingly Dio is very much there, including Dio-era Black Sabbath cover.  At some point Jorn is joined by the ex-colleague Jørn Viggo Lofstad, so now we can declare this was a real celebration of a 25 year-spanning career. Jørn Viggo Lofstad is now part of Pagan’s Mind.  I discovered Jorn by checking the lineup of another fabulous cosmic prog act Arcturus who had Tore Moren on guitar back in a day. And Arcturus' discovery came from black metal. Small world. 

I did not have any big expectations for the main act, but Jorn does deliver, and I would gladfully come to see him deliver once again when there is a chance.