In June 1996, Dutch band The Gathering, at the cusp of shifting from gothic metal to atmospheric progressive with the album Mandylion—released months earlier and marking Anneke van Giersbergen’s vocal debut—performed at the 27th Pinkpop, Europe’s oldest festival in Landgraaf, sharing the bill with Iron Maiden and Soundgarden. The hour-long set, captured in professional quality, embodied their nascent era, where Hans van de Hove’s guitar textures intertwined with René Janssen’s keyboard improvisations, forging a hypnotic vibe before tens of thousands. This performance underscored their pioneering symphonic metal role, where melancholy gained festival scale.