Swedish Metal Army Sabaton Rolled Over Plzeň with Their Tanks
Natural amphitheatres possess a unique charm, but when their tiered seating fills with thousands of excited metalheads, the sight becomes truly breathtaking. From the early afternoon hours, crowds steadily poured into the venue. At first glance, it was obvious who this place belonged to today - war-themed T-shirts and camouflage trousers had become the unofficial dress code of the day. Before long, beer cups were circulating through eager hands, and the venue buzzed with relaxed conversation. That calm, however, did not last long. The moment the first support act stormed the stage, the amphitheatre came alive.
A Touch of Nostalgia and Family Reunions
At 5:30 PM, the first band to take the stage was Scardust - Israeli masters of progressive symphonic metal. They kicked off their show right on schedule, and everything was running like clockwork. The band's crown jewel and defining feature is vocalist Noa Gruman. She effortlessly transitions from crystal-clear singing to gritty rock vocals and tops it all off with brutal death metal growls. The keyboards add another intriguing layer to their music, while the guitarist's eight-string instrument looked like something from another universe. Despite earlier concerns about the weather, the sun even made an appearance. Songs such as Touch of Life I – In Your Eyes, My Haven, and Concrete Cages were among the highlights.
The next band to turn up the heat was their friendly counterpart Majestica. Their performance began exactly one hour later at 6:30 PM. Frontman Tommy Johansson is a former member of Sabaton, and later during the evening Joakim Brodén jokingly introduced him as "the guy who had trouble leaving the band." Tommy himself spoke about how difficult that decision had been, especially because of the fans. However, without difficult choices, nothing new can be created, and the audience appreciated that during songs such as Thunder Power, No Pain, No Gain, and the closing Metal United. The support act fulfilled its mission perfectly, warming up the crowd's vocal cords and preparing the ground for the Swedish army.
Before their arrival, however, Dutch powerhouse Floor Jansen stormed the stage. The Nightwish vocalist, whose band is currently on a break from touring, ensured that fans would not miss classics like Amaranth and Nemo. But that was not all. Between these famous songs, Floor also included heavier rock tracks - the fierce While Love Died from her project Northward and the nostalgic Face Your Demons from her former band After Forever. The result was a perfect cross-section of her career. Since Floor is married to Sabaton drummer Hannes Van Dahl, the entire performance gained a warm and welcoming family atmosphere. With every riff, the temperature in the venue seemed to rise, the audience pressed closer to the stage, and everyone was ready for the main event.
The Biggest Tank, "One More Beer," and Karel the Rhinoceros
The stage darkened, fiery beams of light swept through the amphitheatre, and a thunderous intro echoed from the speakers. The Swedish war machine was ready for ignition. "All right, Plzeň, we are Sabaton and this is Ghost Division!" shouted frontman Joakim Brodén as he ran onto the stage. A massive explosion shook the venue and the band launched straight into their proven opener without warning. The stage design featured a gigantic tank in the centre, where Hannes pounded away on his drums, flanked by additional tanks on both sides. Their cannons fired streams of light like rocket launchers unleashing a barrage. It was a truly monumental spectacle. This was followed by this year's single Yamato, a tribute to the legendary Japanese battleship.
A moment of peace and reflection arrived with Christmas Truce. One simple gesture from Joakim transformed the darkened amphitheatre into a starry night sky. Fans raised their phones and waved illuminated flashlights in rhythm, creating a magical backdrop for the song.
From the latest album Legends, the band performed tracks such as Crossing the Rubicon, I, Emperor, and Templars. Long-time fans were also rewarded with beloved classics, singing along to Primo Victoria and Night Witches. Sabaton once again proved that they have not forgotten the songs that launched their career.
Another wave of nostalgia and excitement swept through the crowd when former guitarist Tommy Johansson appeared on stage as a special guest. Together they performed the anthem Swedish Pagans. The guitarists divided the audience into two halves and challenged them to see who could sing louder.
Joakim also made sure to stay hydrated throughout the evening. Whenever fans encouraged him to have "one more beer," he bravely downed a glass of Pilsner in one go and proudly declared that Czech beer is the best in the world. At one point, he even shared a drink with Krtek, the beloved Czech mole character.
One of the most unforgettable moments came during Far from the Fame. This musical tribute to Czechoslovak war hero Karel Janoušek once again demonstrated the strong bond Sabaton has with the Czech Republic. Thousands of voices singing together beneath the open sky created a truly spine-tingling atmosphere. To honour the hero, the band had also recently christened a six-month-old Indian rhinoceros calf at the local zoo. Interestingly, the German word for rhinoceros translates as "armoured animal," and its four-centimetre-thick skin genuinely resembles armour. It was no coincidence that Sabaton deliberately chose this animal.
The concert finale launched a full-scale assault on the audience's remaining energy. To Hell and Back left nobody standing still and provided a perfect conclusion to a brilliantly executed set. A forest of raised hands once again rose in front of the stage, and the overwhelming energy was enough to cause goosebumps. Perhaps the only slight disappointment was the absence of an encore. "As Večerníček says - good night," announced Joakim before adding that Sabaton would return to meet Czech fans again on May 2, 2026, at Prague's O2 Arena.
In Conclusion...
In the end, nothing remains but to take our hats off to the organisers and the entire amphitheatre staff. From the lightning-fast entry process to the outstanding sound engineering, everything worked flawlessly—like Swiss clockwork, or perhaps more appropriately, a Swedish tank. Ensuring the smooth running of an event while handling a production as massive as the one Sabaton brought is truly impressive. The organisers succeeded in creating an environment where both fans and musicians felt at home, and that was reflected in an atmosphere that will remain in our memories for a long time to come. Thank you.
Text and photos: Lenka Svatoňová