How many fans can a minor heavy-metal legend bring out to a show in the Virginia ‘burbs on Super Bowl Sunday? A good 150 to 200 people, if Doro is any indication. Ostensibly from Dusseldorf, Germany, but now residing in New York City, Doro seems to tour and play the D.C. area on a yearly basis, but that didn’t stop diehard fans from driving up to nine hours to see last night’s show at Empire.

Even for a melodic-metal skeptic like myself, it wasn’t hard to see why: few bands seem so earnestly excited to be performing for their fans, whether it’s tracks from last year’s Raise Your Fist or old Warlock songs from the 1980s.

Many more photos in the full slideshow, including some from the opening sets by Sweden’s Sister Sin and locals A Sound of Thunder.