There is still something special about D-A-D playing in the capital. But at Forum Black Box on 31 January 2025, it was not the triumph many had hoped for. The band had been touring solidly with their new album Speed of Darkness, and both pyrotechnics and audience were ready.
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Disclaimer: Apropos Magazine received access or a review copy. As always, we share our own impressions — unfiltered.
Six stars
The warm-up was anything but lukewarm. Baest, the Aarhus death metal band, took to the stage as the night’s heavy hitter and kicked the door in with brutal energy. Frontman Simon Olsen brought a smile to even the most seasoned D-A-D fans with his introduction: “We are Baest from Aarhus, and we are tonight’s heavy hitter.” One of the highlights came when Jesper Binzer himself joined Baest on stage for “King of the Sun” – a duet that was both surprising and effective.
When D-A-D came on stage a little after nine, the room lit up at once. The opening run of “God Prays to Man,” “Burning Star” and “Evil Twin” gave the set a certain weight, but it quickly became clear that Binzer’s vocals were not in top form. Several songs were delivered with a strained voice and technical issues that dragged down the overall impression.
The new songs – especially the title track “Speed of Darkness” – had a hard time winning over the room. The audience was more engaged when the band dipped back into the catalogue with songs like “Grow or Pay,” “Crazy Wings” and, of course, the emotional “Laugh ’n’ a ½,” where the atmosphere peaked.
Cobber struggled with a few guitar flubs, but the band’s interplay and experience still carried the evening reasonably well. You could sense that they still enjoy being on stage, but also that this was not one of those nights when everything clicked into place.
The encores, including “Sleeping My Day Away,” delivered the goods. And as always, they closed with “It’s After Dark,” sending the audience home with that classic glint in the eye and a certain satisfaction in the body.
Reflection:
There is something beautiful about seeing a band like D-A-D hold on to their stagecraft and their fans – even when the engine coughs a little in the cold. The Forum concert never truly caught fire, but it proved that 40 years of rock history can still create moments of magic – even if not every line lands quite as it should.
