Echelon Tour Review

January 6th, 2012

March 23, 2010 – Zurich, Switzerland

by: Claire Metcalfe

I have been fortunate enough to see Mars 43 times during the last two years, in places as far flung as the USA, Australia and all sorts of weird and wonderful European cities. Each of those concerts had something special about it, whether it was the atmosphere, the friends I shared it with or just a moment where we all connected. I’ve seen Mars everywhere from a muddy field at Download to a church in New York City. I was fortunate enough to help film their Wembley gig. I’ve worn white, black, crowd surfers, blood and warpaint. It has been a wild ride…but my favourite night has to be Zurich on 23rd March 2010.

Zurich was the last date of the ‘Into The Wild’ phase of the tour, in the cozy confines of the Volkshaus. Many of the wonderful friends I have made through this band had traveled with me through Europe, and that last day summed up a lot of what being part of this community has been about for me. In the spring sunshine we spent the day in the queue laughing, reminiscing, face-painting, drinking way too much coffee, then went nuts in the front row on what was truly an unforgettable night.

We danced in unison to Street Drum Corps, laughed as Jared gatecrashed Carpark North’s ‘Transparent & Glasslike’, then lost our minds to MARS. From ‘Escape’ to ‘Kings And Queens’ we jumped, sang, screamed, and for a little while we could just immerse ourselves in the moment and forget everything else. This is what makes so many MARS live gigs special for me, I can let go of the everyday and just focus on the experience.

From being blinded by the flashlights on ‘Vox Populi’, to screaming that ‘This is who I really am’ as Jared made his way along the barrier during ‘The Kill’, like all the best shows the night passed in a high speed blur. For ‘This Is War’ we even had a dance, and to this day I can’t hear that song without wanting to fling myself to the right, to the left…which I don’t recommend while you are listening to the CD in your car 

Everyone on that stage gave their everything, and we in the crowd fed off that energy. It’s truly a two-way process – the more you give, the more you will get back. Even when the band is sick, exhausted, or don’t know what city they are in. After a few days on a Mars road-trip we know how that feels sometimes!

In Zurich we were also treated to my favourite song from This Is War, ‘Stranger in a Strange Land’, with just the glow of the bands headlamps to illuminate it. There is something otherworldly about ‘Stranger’ that I’ve loved since the first moment I heard it, and in such an intimate setting, it worked perfectly. Hopefully that song will indeed get another chance in another life, but to hear it that night, and for it to be followed by a full band rendition of ‘Edge Of The Earth’, was genuinely special. We asked, and we received.

The highlight of a great night for me was to be on stage with the band for ‘Kings & Queens’ for the first time. It was a tiny venue so there wasn’t room for many of us up there, but a couple of my friends were selected too and together we danced like nobody was watching. We punched the air, sang ourselves to a croak, and looked out at our friends in the crowd. The adrenaline rush from being on that stage gives you a small insight into how it feels for the band and why they love what they do. I was lucky enough to be able to share that moment both with 30 Seconds To Mars, and with the friends I will keep long after the music stops – and that I will never forget.

Long may you continue to dream out loud.

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