Every saga has an unlikely beginning. Ours began at a Burger King.
Not literally, perhaps, but Seven Kingdoms’ frontwoman took The Fillmore Silver Spring stage in a sequined jumpsuit and cheeseburger slippers, the front stage monitors adorned with cheeseburger plush pillows. A charming splash of levity in the otherwise Very Serious Business of heavy metal.
Seven Kingdoms have been at this for 15 years, and they played like a band joyfully aware of their role in the greater power-metal ecosystem: fast, melodic, sincere, and ready to bring the crowd in on the joke. “I suck at disc golf but I’ve got this flag… I’m just gonna throw it,” the singer announced between songs, earning instant affection from the room.
At The Fillmore Silver Spring on Nov. 24, the band drifted from classic power metal into a ballad introduced with, “Can we pretend the lights on your phone are like shooting stars?” and this crowd obliged. Their twin-guitar lineup settled into place once the energy took over. A small mosh pit broke out during the closer, proving that even sparkly power metal can get elbows moving. They wrapped with a crowd photo and exited to “Balls to the Wall,” a fitting walk-off for a band that arrived in excellent spirits and left the room warmer than they found it.
Ensiferum followed, returning to the DMV for the second time this year. Their mix of folk melody, power-metal theatrics, and thrash aggression thrives with a crowd like this. Circle pits opened during “Andromeda.” Crowd surfers began streaming toward the barricade, including a literal lunchbox – which, of course, should not have been surfing. Their bassist, a force in perpetual motion, declared, “Silver Spring, tonight you are our heathen horde!” with all the conviction of a Viking chieftain sending his forces over the ridge.
When they asked, “Are you ready to ride into battle?!” the circle pit exploded. The band closed with “In My Sword I Trust,” declaring victory yet again in their annals.
Watch “In My Sword I Trust” by Ensiferum on YouTube:
By the time Blind Guardian’s banner dropped, the eager crowd was humming along to the house music with zeal. The lights dimmed over a pre-show playlist of KISS, Mötley Crüe, and Ozzy Osbourne, with the sound techs in their ivory tower pantomiming guitar solos like jesters warming up the court. Then Blind Guardian entered, and the atmosphere shifted from anticipation to reverence, startling everyone with “Into the Storm.”
When they tried to play their second song, “Blood of the Elves,” the crowd refused to let the moment pass, cheering in waves until Hansi Kürsch, delighted, joked about how we were eating into their set time. The band moved through Middle-earth touchpoints (“Nightfall,” talk of Morgoth, a nod to elves) before widening the mythology into their broader canon. At one point, I spotted a crowd surfer in a cape, which felt correct.
A chant broke out between songs. A popular two-word mantra the audience volleyed with gusto: “HOLY SHIT!”
It’s not language I’m fond of, but Hansi handled it with warmth and humor, turning the moment into another piece of the rapport between band and fans. “That’s what I think every night!” he laughed.
The acoustic interlude brought “Black Chamber,” “Theater of Pain,” and both versions of “The Bard’s Song.” Hansi largely ceded the microphone to the room, stepping in only to guide transitions. The Fillmore was filled with voices carrying a song older than many of them. After a brief fife-and-drum flourish from the drummer in “The Piper’s Calling,” Blind Guardian closed their main set with “Somewhere Far Beyond.” Crowd surfers poured forth endlessly from the pit, forcing security into a near-sprint.
Watch the official music video for “The Bard’s Song: In the Forest” (Revisited) by Blind Guardian on YouTube:
What struck me most was how little production Blind Guardian relied on compared to their stature. No pyro, no props, no elaborate staging. Just a banner, house lighting, and the immense presence of a band that has spent decades shaping power metal’s mythos. The spectacle was the music, the crowd, and the space between them. Of course, fireworks aren’t allowed at The Fillmore Silver Spring.
It was hard to believe, by the end of the night, that this whole thing had started at a Burger King. Seven Kingdoms welcomed us on our journey, Ensiferum rallied us for battle, and with the power and glory of Blind Guardian we defeated Morgoth.
Here are some photos of Blind Guardian performing live at The Fillmore Silver Spring on Nov. 24, 2025. (Keep scrolling for photos of the opening acts!) All pictures copyright and courtesy of Marc Shea.
Here are some photos of Ensiferum and Seven Kingdoms opening the show at The Fillmore Silver Spring!
