Tour Guides From Hell: Sabaton’s Favorite War-Related Sites to Visit on Tour
Sabaton are about to embark upon a massive North American tour that will take them all over the U.S. and through seven Canadian cities over the course of the next five weeks, playing songs from their most recent album The Last Stand as well as fan favorites. Battle Beast and Leaves Eyes will be opening, so this is one that fans of Sabaton’s brand of epic power metal cannot afford to miss.
To celebrate the tour’s kickoff, Sabaton co-founder and bassist Pär Sundström put together a special edition of our ongoing Tour Guides From Hell series focusing on some of the band’s favorite worldwide historical locations to visit while on tour, including famous battle sites they’ve written about in their songs.
Take a look at Sabaton’s tour dates below, then get to reading about the band’s favorite — and most brutal — places to visit.
4/20 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Trocadero
4/21 – New York, NY @ Playstation Theater
4/22 – Worcester, MA @ The Palladium – New England Metal & Hardcore Festival
4/23 – Clifton Park, NY @ Upstate Concert Hall
4/25 – Montreal, QC @ Club Soda – SOLD OUT
4/26 – Quebec City, QC @ Imperial De Quebec
4/27 – Toronto, ON @ Opera House
4/28 – Cleveland, OH @ The Agora Ballroom
4/30 – Louisville, KY @ Diamond Pub Concert Hall
5/1 – Chicago, IL @ Concord Music Hall
5/2 – Minneapolis, MN @ The Cabooze
5/3 – Winnipeg, MB @ Park Theatre
5/5 – Edmonton, AB @ Union Hall
5/6 – Calgary, AB @ The Palace
5/7 – Vancouver, BC @ Rickshaw Theatre
5/8 – Seattle, WA @ El Corazon – SOLD OUT
5/10 – San Francisco, CA @ Regency Ballroom
5/11 – Anaheim, CA @ City National Grove
5/12 – Tempe, AZ @ Marquee Theater
5/14 – Englewood, CO @ Gothic Theatre
5/16 – Dallas, TX @ Trees
5/17 – San Antonio, TX @ Alamo Music Hall
5/18 – Houston, TX @ Scout Bar
5/20 – Tampa, FL @ Orpheum
5/21 – Charlotte, NC @ The Underground
5/22 – Silver Spring, MD @ The Fillmore
Jerusalem, Israel
We have been in Israel playing for many years and it’s one of the best places on earth for a show. Such an amazing crowd. This is a place we often try to stay a few days to enjoy since it offers relaxing beaches, great rock bars, and an overdose of history. There are many interesting places to visit in Israel, even if some locations now aren’t as secure these days. I have been to Jerico and Masada, but the most exciting place of all is Jerusalem.
Sabaton song to listen to: “Counterstrike”
Auschwitz, Poland
Go there once, no need to come back. No matter of how much you think you know of the place before you arrive, you are still shocked. Even after researching for our song “Final Solution,” nothing could have prepared us for this place. There is something in the air, water and earth and you feel it once you arrive. After a day here, plan for an evening of just sitting and doing nothing. You will be empty. Still, I recommend it… once.
Sabaton song to listen to: “The Final Solution”
Gallipoli, Turkey
A place and a battle we did not know much about before we wrote our song. A Turkish songwriter who lived in the Netherlands gave us the tip to look it up and provided us with literature describing how important this battle was for several nations, and it was insane how extremely tough and fierce the fighting was. It really makes sense when you see how close the different armies were and how many died here. The stories are truly terrifying. When you look up at the cliffs you wonder, who the fuck came up with the idea to land and charge up those cliffs? It’s close to Istanbul, which is of course a fantastic city both day and night.
Sabaton song to listen to: “Cliffs of Gallipoli”
Belgrade Fortress
Impressive and exciting, but maybe mostly just nice in the summer. The fortress is big and there is always something new to discover. Its open to people to enjoy and isn’t really guarded, so by the summer there are lots of people who just relax and enjoy the parks inside and around the fortress. Or why not the zoo? My tip is to go here on a hot summer night and just enjoy the feeling of almost being at a festival.
Sabaton song to listen to: “Last Dying Breath”
Thermopylae, Greece
This place may not be as cool to look at anymore because basically nothing remains; the original place disappeared due to changes in the coastline. But if you have seen the movie 300 and like the story, you can imagine yourself there. I can’t tell you how much of the history told in that story is accurate, but this place has for sure seen many battles regardless. There is a statue of Leonidas with the famous words ”come and take,” which would refer to the answer the Spartans gave to the Persians when told to let down their arms.
Sabaton song to listen to: “Sparta”
Prague, Czech Republic
Truly one of the best and most historically significant cities in the world, with amazingly inspiring architecture. Nowadays we mainly enjoy the city by playing in front of some of the best crowds in the world, but we also have spent countless days off there. The bars and restaurants are absolutely perfect. I once spent a Christmas in Prague, too, which I would recommend due to the spirit in the area. Maybe not the smell of the fish that everyone eats on Christmas, but still nice.
Sabaton song to listen to: “1648”
Bastogne, Belgium
Nice little town with a lot of history connected to World War II. We spent a day off here a few years ago together with a guide and enjoyed everything from seeing fox holes in the woods to having drinks in bars. For food, find something better than frog legs in gorgonzola. I understand some do enjoy this, but it didn’t do anything for me.
Sabaton song to listen to: “Screaming Eagles”
Stalin Line, Minsk, Belarus
A new favorite. It’s a very interactive outdoor museum and so much more. They arrange big reenactments and derby car crash competitions. At Stalin Line, you’ll learn so much about the Soviet era and how the defense of Soviet Russia was organized before World War II. You can even ride tanks and shoot guns!
Sabaton song to listen to: “Panzerkampf”
