Helloween and Rage were on tour together at the end of 2003. A show was scheduled in Paris, at the Elysée Montmarte, on November 22.
Suddenly, Iron Maiden announced that the Paris show of the “Dance Of Death” Tour would take place…on November 22 nd! Of course the organizers knew that many metal heads would like to do both shows, and the found a nice solution.
The Rage / Helloween show at the Elysée was cancelled. Helloween were rescheduled to open for Iron Maiden at Bercy, and Rage were scheduled to play at the Caves Lechapelais later in the evening.
My friends Ricardo and Igor from Italy were in Paris for these shows, so as soon as Iron Maiden finished, we took the subway to the Caves Lechapelais to attend the Rage show.
The venue is a basement, where gothic parties often take place. The only time I had been there before was for a Hammerfall acoustic show the previous year.
The stage was low and the music was loud. There were maybe some 400 people there, at the place looked completely full.
Rage were very happy to be there. In 2001 they had a scheduled show at the Boule Noire, in Paris, but it was cancelled. This time, instead of cancel, they were rescheduled.
Although Rage was the only band playing, so it was some kind of a headlining show, they played the same set list that when opening for Helloween. For me it was a Rage headlining show, not an Iron Maiden aftershow, but the set was short. Anyway, I won’t complain, I prefer to see Rage playing an hour rather that a cancelled show!
The songs “Down” and “Refuge” were particularly good that night. The best part is all the people at the Caves Lechapelais were coming for Rage, which wouldn’t have been the case on a Helloween / Rage concert.
The concert finished at about 1 am, but the party wasn’t over! A DJ kept us headbanging for hours as he played Saxon, Judas Priest, Skid Row, Kiss and many classics.
A great evening: 3 bands, 2 different concerts and a Metal Party, all in less than 12 hours. And the next day I had to wake up to see Rage and Helloween (this time headlining) again, at the Hof Ter Lo in Antwerpen, Belgium.

Rage Set list: Paris, Caves Lechapelais, November 22, 2003.

1. War Of Worlds
2. Great Old Ones
3. Medley:
a. Sent By The Devil
b. Firestorm
4. Down
5. Guitar Solo
6. Soundchaser
7. Set This World On Fire
8. Drum Solo
9. Don't Fear The Winter
10. Higher Than The Sky

Links:

Rage Official Website
Rage My Space
Victor Smolski official website
Victor Smolski My Space
Mike Terrana officiel website
Mike Terrana My Space