A new career-spanning interview with Kamelot guitarist Thomas Youngblood has been posted on the band's official website. Following is an excerpt.

Q: Who are the biggest influences from your youth?

Thomas: "I grew up watching local bands Savatage (Avatar) and Crimson Glory, also Saigon Kick. Seeing them live and then expanding beyond Florida gave me inspiration. Of course, I also loved Maiden, Priest, Rush and others. I loved Segovia on classical guitar, too. I wanted to use that in Kamelot from day one. After the first album, I also got into New Age and that was something I needed to add to Kamelot. Also, before I even played guitar, I played saxophone. One day, I got the album Switched on Bach, that was the first classical fusion I had ever heard. This was before the internet remember (laughs)."

Q: When you first started the band, you must have had a certain vision oe set of goals in mind. How clonesly was the actual evolution and experience of the band aligned with your initial vision?

Thomas: "Every step has been an evolution and a milestone, and overall I am happy with every album. The latest album, The Awakening, has surpassed all previous ones in chart placements (Top 2 USA, Top 10 Germany) but we still have many goals to achieve with the band. Our shows have become something I am proud of and we want every fan to walk away hoping for the next visit. Our goal is for bigger than ever productions and events, we plan to make the show an even more immersive experience."

Read the complete interview here.

Kamelot will bring their glorious Awaken the World Tour 2024 to Europe this October, starting in Utrecht (NL). The multinational icons founded and led by mastermind and guitarist Thomas Youngblood just announced new dates in 17 cities across 11 countries! 

Kamelot are ready to enchant and stun fans once again with their internationally top-charting melodic metal pinnacles, accompanied by powerful and unique special guests like rising modern symphonic metallers Ad Infinitum and power metal heroes Frozen Crown — both Napalm Records labelmates. As bonus support, enchanting symphonic metal rose Blackbriar will also grace the stage.

This massive, enchanting symphonic metal tour promises legendary moments to remember, chock full of musical diversity and hard-hitting melodies. The tour will begin on October 12, 2024 in Utrecht (NL) and will cross all over Europe and the UK, coming to an end on November 3, 2024 in Manchester (UK).

Tickets are available at kamelot.com/tour.

Thomas Youngblood on the upcoming tour:

“KamNation get ready for our return to Europe and first taste for the UK of the Awaken The World Tour!! We are incredibly excited about this package, all of the support bands have been on my wish list for a while now. I am sure we will have amazing memories for the fans and all the band members after this landmark tour in Europe and the UK!”

Melissa Bonny of Ad Infinitum adds: 

“We are excited to join Kamelot on this exciting European tour and even more so with the participation of our friends and tour mates from Blackbriar. Completed by Frozen Crown, this package promesses an epic experience for all the fans of symphonic and melodic metal who will join the party!”

Frozen Crown state: 

“We are delighted to announce we're joining Kamelot on their European tour 2024. This is a super exciting news for us, not only because of the privilege to open for one of the bands that influenced our music and lyrics. But also cause we get to share the stage with Ad Infinitum and Blackbriar as well, making this our first "full Napalm" tour after joining our new label. We can't wait to be part of this! See you guys on the road in October!”

René of Blackbriar comments: 

“We've got exciting news to share with you! We'll join Kamelot's 'Awaken The World' tour this year as a special guest alongside Ad Infinitum and Frozen Crown! This tour will take us to many new and familiar countries, and to say that we're looking forward to this feels like an understatement. Kamelot is a band we've been looking up to for so long, and we feel honored to join them on their tour. We've never had the pleasure of meeting them before, just as we never met Frozen Crown, and we can't wait to do so! We did have the pleasure of being tour buddies with Ad Infinitum last year, and we're looking forward to continuing these unforgettable times! We can't wait for these new adventures, see you on the road!”

Dates:

October
12 – Utrecht, Netherlands
13 – Munich, Germany
15 – Berlin, Germany
17 – Bratislava, Slovakia
18 – Zlin, Czech Republic 
19 – Ljubljana, Slovenia
20 – Milan, Italy
22 – Bilbao, Spain
23 – Madrid, Spain
25 – Lyon, France
26 – Pratteln, Switzerland 
27 – Oberhausen, Germany
29 – Hamburg, Germany
30 – Antwerpen, Belgium

November
1 – Wolverhampton, UK 

Kamelot lineup:

Tommy Karevik - Vocals
Thomas Youngblood - Guitars
Oliver Palotai - Keyboards
Sean Tibbetts - Bass
Alex Landenburg - Drums

Photo by Nat Enemede