VIRGIN STEELE Perform At Spain's ATARFE VEGA ROCK Festival Without Their Drummer

VIRGIN STEELE performed at the Atarfe Vega Rock festival on Friday, March 10 at Nave Medina Elvira in Atarfe, Granada, Spain without their drummer Frank Gilchriest. According to a posting on the group's web site, Frank "had some confusion with flight arrangements, and was unable to arrive on time for their set, but the band played on. The audience more than made up for the percussion, by clapping rhythmically and chanting throughout the gig! Singer David DeFeis also did some mighty pounding on the wooden stage, with some serious boots! It was a wild, aggressive performance that only a top-notch, highly seasoned group could pull out of themselves."

VIRGIN STEELE frontman David DeFeis answered a few questions for the band's official web site after the concert. Read on:

Q: David, what happened with your drummer?

David: "I don't know all the details as I have not yet spoken to Frank, but I was told that there was some kind of confusion with his plane, and that he would not arrive by the time we were to perform this evening. I am sure that he is very, very upset that he could not be here with us tonight! He was really looking forward to this show."

Q: What did you do when you heard this news?

David: "At first I thought it was some kind of joke, but when I found out that it actually was true, I went into action. I received the information that he would not make the concert at 3:00 this afternoon, just as we were planning to leave the hotel to come here. We were scheduled to perform at 6:20, so we had to decide very quickly what to do. I called the rest of the group and told them to meet me in my room, so that we could plan an alternate set to perform. We met, discussed and threw ideas around for about 30 minutes, and then drove off to do the gig."

Q: How do you think the concert went? I mean from my point of view it was incredible. You even managed to get an encore, which is a rare thing on a festival, with the time factor, and all the pressure to keep the bands moving along. And I have to say, the band sounded so confident, and your voice sounded so strong and high!

David: "Thank you. I think it went quite well. The crowd seemed to really enjoy it, and they were really very supportive, which gave us confidence to continue and to deliver the goods."

Q: I spoke to many fans who said they were very happy that you played. They thought you would cancel under such circumstances.

David: "Some bands might have cancelled, but not us. We go on regardless. We did not want to disappoint anyone. We came to perform, and that is what we did. It was a magic, by the seat of your pants kind of show. I really enjoyed it."

Q: Any last words for the Spanish fans?

David: "Yes. We thank you all for your tremendous show of faith, heart, honor and incredibly loud support! Thanks for the really great welcome, and thanks so very much for making this such a special concert. We will see you all again soon, with our drummer."

VIRGIN STEELE's setlist was as follows:

01. The Wine of Violence
02. Black Mass Blues
03. Snakeskin Voodoo Man
04. Don't Say Goodbye (Tonight)
05. Gate of Kings
06. Wings of Vengeance
07. Twilight of the Gods
08. Guitar Solo
09. Vow of Honour
10. Defiance
11. Emalaith
12. The Burning of Rome
Encore:
13. Great Sword of Flame