Gig Review: Alexisonfire @ Brixton Academy. 02/12/12

First of all, apologies must be extended to my regular readers (Mike and Lynn) who have obviously been missing my gig reviews. Well fear not fellas, luckily for you I had nothing better to do during my lunch hour than produce this bad boy.

I was first introduced to Alexisonfire at Reading Festival in 2007. A festival favourite, this Canadian quintet are famed for the energy of their live shows, and I was not disappointed. A number of Reading performances later and after attending one of their own shows in Brighton, Alexisonfire quickly became one of my favourite live bands. Dubbed ‘post hardcore’, their sound is refreshingly unique, masterfully blending harsh screaming vocals with Dallas’ smooth crooning, all to the background of some extraordinary riffs.

However, after ten years together as a band, they decided to call it quits in 2011 due to members pursuing other ventures (City and Colour/Gallows etc). So for Alexis-fans worldwide there was a horrible period of time where we thought we would never get to see them again, and not be able to bid our farewells. Thankfully, earlier this year they announced that they would be playing a handful of dates worldwide on their farewell tour. Two nights at the Brixton Academy were the only European dates on the tour and needless to say tickets sold out in a matter of minutes, if not seconds. Luckily a number of us managed to grab tickets to the first night of the tour. Aces.

The evening began with the customary catch up in a local pub (on this occasion the fantastic Duke of Edinburgh in Brixton), close to the venue. The support act for the evening were the specially reformed Ghost of a Thousand, who none of us were particularly bothered about to be honest, so more beer was consumed.

We entered the main hall of this fantastic venue around 10 minutes before the band were due on stage. I have been to many gigs in my time, but I have to say that I have never experienced an atmosphere like the one on this night. The sense of anticipation in the capacity crowd eclipsed anything I have been a party to before. For many in attendance this would be their last chance EVER to see their favourite band, so it’s understandable to say the least.

As the lights extinguished and the banner descended behind the stage, the roar was deafening. The boys exploded onto the stage to the opening riff of my favourite track, Crisis, and Brixton exploded. As I am still nursing a broken foot, I was unable to be in the thick of the crowd, but as soon as the unmistakable chord sequence began, nobody was able to stand still at all. Dallas could not be heard over screams from the audience in this opener, but never have the lyrics ‘This season’s growing cold, I feel like this could be the end’ been so poignant. This is indeed the end of Alexisonfire, but if you were at the show last night, seeing this reaction, you would not be able to understand why they are calling it a day.

Hardly stopping between hits, Ontario’s finest launched into bruising riff after bruising riff, sending the 6,000 strong faithful into ecstasy. When it could be made out over the phenomenal crowd, Dallas’ voice was the best I have ever heard it, not an imperfect note in a 23 song set list.

Alexis are renowned for their song writing abilities, having won numerous awards in their native Canada, but never have I seen a band’s lyrics seem so ironic as during the epic ‘Drunks, Lovers, Sinners and Saints’. ‘Are you pretending? Are you even listening?’ was screamed back at the band with such passion it was an incredible thing to witness. Safe to say no-one was pretending inside Brixton.

Inevitably, the show came to an end with the impeccable ‘Happiness by the Kilowatt’ after which the band took their final bows, expressing their thanks for all the support their UK fan base has given them over the years. In all honesty, it is us who should be thankful to a fantastic band who have provided us with so many incredible experiences throughout the years. The fact that we are not to be lucky enough to witness Alexisonfire live again is only just beginning to sink in. And it sucks.

Other bands need to take note, if you are going to bow out; this is the way to do it. Graceful, Composed, Heartbreaking. Let’s be honest, Alexisonfire have gone out the way all good bands should go, in a blaze of glory.

Never again will we ‘raise up our hands, and sing along’. All the best, lads.

Rating: 9/10

Set list:

1. Crisis
2. Get Fighted
3. Waterwings
4. Old Crows
5. Control
6. You Burn First
7. We Are the Sound
8. 44. Caliber Love Letter
9. This Could Be Anywhere in the World
10. Midnight Regulations
11. Pulmonary Archery
12. No Transitory
13. Dog’s Blood
14. Keep it on Wax
15. Accept Crime
16. Boiled frogs
17. Drunks, Lovers, Sinners and Saints
18. Charlie Sheen v Henry Rolins
19. The Northern
20. Accidents

21. Rough Hands
22. Young Cardinals
23. Happiness by the Kilowatt

The Future of New Zealand Test Cricket

New Zealand Test Cricket has not covered itself in glory over the last few years. Slipping to second bottom in the Test Rankings, this once proud test playing nation seemingly had no prospect of bucking this losing trend. Or so the cricketing world thought.

NZ’s last two test series have offered a win and a draw (albeit the win was in a one off test against the minnows of Zimbabwe). Now, these results in themselves are unspectacular, and many do not think that they show anything other than a win against a shocking Zimbabwe and an entertaining draw against an under strength Australia. It is evident, however, that the manner of these results and how they came about is intrinsically exciting for the future of this ailing test nation.

It is further submitted that the excitement surrounding the future of NZ cricket can be epitomised in the career of one player; Doug Bracewell. A talented fast bowling all rounder, Bracewell is a uniquely intelligent cricketer who singlehandedly secured these most recent results. Winning the Zimbabwe test with figures of 5-85 in the fourth innings, and ensuring a drawn series with Australia with incredible second test match figures of 9-60, Bracewell has already gained himself the tag of a future star of test cricket.

I lived with Bracewell for four months in 2008 and had an inkling that this guy was destined for special things. The son of former NZ test cricketer, Brendon, Doug ate, drank, and slept cricket for the majority of his life. Having been coached by Brendon myself for four months at the Bracewell Cricket Academy, it is no wonder that his son has developed into the sportsman that he is. Brendon is an immense disciplinarian, a man who does not mince his words if he feels that you are stepping out of line (or even playing down the wrong one). I changed immeasurably in my short time at the academy, so it is little wonder that 21 year old Doug has already shown the mental strength of someone ten years his senior. The glorious combination of raw talent, passion for the game, and the perfect mentor to focus his career, Doug Bracewell is sure to be one of the finds of the last decade.

In addition to this, I am of the personal opinion that Doug is one of the best batsmen that I have played with. Echoing his captain, Ross Taylor, it is evident that the best is yet to come from this talented all rounder in the future.

However, this is not just the start of one man’s promising test career, but the start of a resurgence of a nation. The second test in Hobarth, in which Bracewell captured a lost nation, saw 22 year old Trent Boult make his debut. A sharp left arm seamer, Boult is another that is destined for the big time. Another product of Brendon Bracewell’s Academy, Boult showed enough in his only test to show that he has the ability to trouble the best of batsmen. Bowling a disciplined line in tough conditions, the young left armer showed experience beyond his years. Adding Boult’s emergence to the success already experienced by 21 year old batsman Kane Williamson (yet another ward of Brendon Bracewell’s), the future is potentially bright for the New Zealand test team.

The reader may have picked up on the common link between these three future stars. At one point in their careers (in fact for Doug’s whole career) they were guided and mentored by Brendon Bracewell. The mental strength and moral values that Brendon hammers into his students can be seen in the way these three (to take a very limited example) play their cricket. Brendon’s ‘get hard’ academy is the perfect place for aspiring professionals to groom their techniques and mature into strong and ambitious individuals. If NZ cricket see sense, it won’t be long before they begin to fully utilise Brendon’s unique skills so to produce further young stars.

The start that Doug Bracewell has made to his international career is enough to inspire even the most negative kiwi. The passion and intelligence that he has shown in his handful of appearances so far epitomises the mentality of the youngsters coming through the ranks. If NZ Cricket see sense and grab hold of Brendon Bracewell to nurture this young talent, then it won’t be long before New Zealand will be storming up that rankings table.

Sonisphere Festival: Sunday @ Knebworth. 10/07/11

When a group of us were booking our American holiday in September last year, the main consideration with the choice of dates was to keep open the possibility of attending as many music festivals as possible in 2011. However, as soon as we booked our holiday for June/July this year, Sonisphere Festival promptly announced that they were changing their dates, meaning that we would be unable to attend the full weekend.

We were lucky enough to be able to attend the Sunday, albeit only a matter of hours after we had returned home the previous day, which was some small relief.

Having attended the weekend of the 2010 fesitval, I was keen to arrive early in order to catch the maximum number of bands as experience has told me that often one can unearth little gems of performers this way. Unfortunately, on this day this was not really the case as will be shown below.

First up were Volbeat. Unfortunately, these Danish rockers inexplicably started their set early meaning that although we could hear them on our walk to the car park, we missed the majority of their set. Not the best start to the day.

Next up were a band that most of us were very much looking forward to, Black Tide. Due to the high regard in which we held their debut, and thus far only released, album and their performance at Reading Festival a few years ago, anticipation was high for the Floridian quartet. Launching into an ill advised cover of Metallica’s ‘Hit the Lights’ was perhaps not the best start, the Californian goliaths having started their set in the same way when headlining the Friday. After this, the group bumbled their way through some disappointing offerings from their new album, previously unheard by the crowd it seemed. Frustratingly, they left classic ‘The Warriors of Time’ until last, having previously only played one song from their debut album. This performance left me nonplussed and, to be honest, disappointed. Perhaps the phenomenal promise that the group of 16 year olds that tore down the tent at Reading Festival last year showed has faded into nothing more than mediocrity. Rating: 1/10

Due to the way in which the stages are set up at Sonisphere, there are no clashes between main and second stage bands. This meant that after Black Tide had finished, we were able to wander up to the other end of the arena in time to catch the opening of Arch Enemy’s set. Not knowing too much about this band, I was content to sit and watch from afar. From this set and a couple of listens in Spotify, I think I would enjoy this band more if they had a different vocalist, however, they still played a decent set. From this, we progressed back to the second stage to see House of Pain. ‘Pain’ is in fact a good word to describe this performance. A band ‘painfully’ out of place at Sonisphere, this set was, in a word, awful. Covers of Dr Dre sandwiched in between Arch Enemy and Parkway Drive. No. The first lines of ‘Jump Around’ were met with cheers, but all too soon the crowd got weary with this overrated and overplayed song, preferring to wander away to watch Parkway Drive begin to tear it up on the main stage. Tear it up they did in fact, the Aussie metal-corers were on top form this afternoon and I would definitely recommend one to watch them if they happen to be at the same festival as you in the future.

The next event to take place on this day was a fantastically well respected 2 Minute’s silence in honour of Slipknot’s recently departed bassist, Paul Gray. The silence, and the cheers afterwards showed the high regard with which the entire rock community held Number 2. He is dearly missed by family, band mates and fans alike.

In Flames were given the less than enviable task of following this event. From where we were standing, the sound from the second stage was not great and therefore I was unimpressed with this performance. Mastodon up next, and they were the epitomy of mediocrity today and as such I really cannot be bothered to write any more about them.

Now, up until this point, it is safe to say that I was wondering whether I wasted my money in coming today as I had not really enjoyed any performance from the bands that I hoped that I would have done. However, this was all about to change. Airbourne were next on the second stage, and from the moment they bounded onto stage to the riff of ‘Raise the Flag’, I knew that this was going to be something special. Throwing themselves into an up tempo and exhausting set, the Aussie rockers literally smashed it up. Highlights including ‘Runnin Wild’, ‘Aint No Way But The Hard Way’ and ‘Cheap Wine, Cheaper Women’, were however eclipsed by the antics of frontman and lead guitarist Joel O’Keefe. These antics included smashing beer cans on his head, downing a bottle of wine, and climbing up to the top of the stage, a height of over 100 feet, and standing on top of the stage while playing a guitar solo. The whole performance was completely epic and I cannot wait to see these boys again, maybe at their own gig. Rating: 9/10

Next were fairly mundane performances from Motorhead and Opeth. I was fairly disinterested with both of these sets so therefore cannot really offer much commentary on their performances.

Sub-headlining the main stage this year were the rap-metal goliaths that are Limp Bizkit. Fighting my way through a throng of ‘becapped’ fans I found a fairly good position, just to the right of the stage. Having seen the boys at Reading Festival last year I was very much looking forward to this performance. However, in my honest opinion, the Bizkit set left me unimpressed and ultimately disappointed. While the performance of the songs were decent, and seemed to get the crowd going, it was the incessant pausing and bumbling between songs that ruined this set for this reviewer. All momentum gained from a rousing performance of, for example, Break Stuff, was completely lost as Durst and co played with the audience and talked amongst themselves. I have put up with enough of that kind of crap from bands like Lostprophets before and have grown extremely tired of it. While Durst was probably revelling in the recent resurgence in popularity that the band has received, that kind of performance can only serve to grate on those who are there to see the songs they love. Just smash the granny out the hits with minimal faffing about, you tarts. While my views may not be shared by many who were there, I feel that this review comes from a position of relative objectivity and honesty. Rating: 4/10

Headlining the second stage today was Bill Bailey. I did not catch his set as it was raining and to be honest, I really couldn’t be arsed.

So, on to the day’s headliners. Slipknot were making there only UK festival appearance of the summer with this headlining set, and to say it was highly anticipated would be the mother of all understatements. As the group walked menacingly on stage, there was the unescapable feel in the crowd that things were about to ‘go down’. This was heightened as the opening tones of ‘sic’ blasted out of the speakers, and the crowd went pretty damn crazy. This enthusiasm did not diminish and kept up its heightened level all the way through the performance, which was nothing less than the band deserved.  This was a phenomenal headline set from Iowa’s finest metalors. Full of aggression, energy, feeling and beer kegs, this show had it all. I am not really sure that I could do the performance justice with a blog review so the best way to relive it is to go to Youtube and watch the full set. If you are a fan of this band then this really is a must see. Highlights included: Surfacing, Spit it Out and Duality to name but a few. I sincerely hope that this is not the last the we see of the group in he UK, Corey Taylor hinting earlier that this tour would determine whether the band could continue, but if it is, they have done what any good band should do when calling it a day, left their fans wanting more and more. Rating: 9/10

Gig Review: Rise Against @ Electric Ballroom. 16/03/2011

Although this was the fifth night of their latest European tour, Rise Against chose this performance in North London to be classified as their ‘album launch party’, the widely well received Endgame having been officially released the day before. As a special treat to all their fans, the band had decided to record this show and stream it worldwide via their website, so as Tim stated during the gig, this smallest Rise Against show could also be seen to be their biggest show ever. How fun. In fact, due to the fact that this gig sold out ridiculously quickly, it was a top idea from the boys to make sure nobody missed out. Now I was accompanied to my latest musical outing by a real plethora of characters from both Uni and home, and it was a combination that provided for a very enjoyable, if not perhaps exceedingly banterful, experience. We arrived at the venue a good hour before the band’s stage time so proceeded rapidly to KFC for some much needed nourishment! Once inside the venue, and marvelling at how small it was for a band the size of Rise Against, we had to wait through half an hour of tedious support act before heading into the main hall.

On to the performance itself. Chicago’s finest bounded onto stage and immediately lead the crowd in chants of ‘Rise, Rise’, to which the mass of writhing bodies took to with great fervour. The excitement in the room was unbelievable, I am lucky that my earplugs saved me from the deafening screams from all around me. Without much pause for breath, Rise Against plunged into the depths of their opening song, the classic ‘Chamber the Cartridge’, a fantastic opener due to its slow build up and carnage inducing crescendo. With the last chords of this song drifting off into tinnitus, I had an overwhelming feeling that if the band stuck to their predicted set list, then all hell was about to break loose. Sure enough, as the deafening riff of ‘State of the Union’ blared from the amps, the crowd gave an almighty surge and it definitely ‘kicked off’! Always a good one to get the crowd into the performance, this song has been a staple part of a Rise Against gig for years and in fact has been played second in all three performances that I have been privy to from this Chicago foursome. The band were definitely on top form, as was shown by the massive grins on everybody’s faces, this was truly worth the wait. Next, a mixture of older songs, such as ‘Heaven Knows’ and ‘Like the Angel’ that were new to this fan’s ears. However, it must be said here that although the performance was flawless, the set list lacked diversity in the first half, with the first new song of the latest album appearing as the eighth song of the night. However, this fantastic performance of the BP oil disaster inspired ‘Help is on the Way’ was well received and a sign that this latest album has not disappointed those fans who have waited eagerly for its arrival.

Cue a list of songs from a plethora of albums, including a fantastic performance of ‘Injection’, a personal favourite that saw me expend most of my reserved energy by some frenetic ‘pitting’, which included Owen Lee head butting me! By the time of the predictable ‘acoustic encore’ I was spent, as were most of those in attendance and ‘Swing Life Away’ offered some much needed rest. This flawless acoustic giant was followed by a moving rendition of ‘Hero of War’, always a crowd favourite from the more mainstream ‘Appeal to Reason’ album. With inexplicable energy and impressive clinicism the boys launched into their last three songs, including a proverbial beast from their first, more hardcore punk, album ‘The Unravelling’, called ‘Alive and Well’ that definitely pleased the more hardcore fans. The gig drew to a close with an extended version of ‘Ready to Fall’ and i think it is safe to say that all involved were completely spent.

To be honest, this was not the best Rise Against performance that I have been privy to, that honour goes to their 2009 Brixton Academy show. The set list could have benefited from a few more songs of the new album, especially as this was their album launch show. It was also a bit disappointing that given this was a ‘special’ performance, the band did not deviate from the set lists of their previous shows on this tour. The venue also left a bit to be desired with a band of this size more deserving of a larger, more involved audience. However, overall this was another polished performance from Chicago’s finest punk rockers that definitely had the crowd going home happy, and in some cases covered in bruises. The band surely have a dedicated following here in the UK and I will be very surprised if they are not included in the Reading Festival announcement on Monday evening, either on the Main Stage or, preferably, headlining a tent. We can only wait and see!

Rating: 8/10

Set list:

1. Chamber the Cartridge

2. State of the Union

3. The Good Left Undone

4. Heaven Knows

5. Re-Education (Through Labour)

6. Survive

7. Like the Angel

8. Help is on the Way

9. The Dirt Whispered

10. Injection

11. Prayer of the Refugee

12. Audience of One

13. Architects

14. Savior

Encore

15. Swing Life Away

16. Hero of War

17. Alive and Well

18. Give it All

19. Ready to Fall

Gig Review: Murderdolls @ HMV Forum. 12/02/2011

My first review of the year, sadly I did not find time for one on the Manic Street Preachers gig I attended in January, is one of a performance by the leading acts in the Glam Rock/Metal/Horror genres: the Murderdolls. Now it is safe to say that I was not eagerly anticipating this gig, knowing that it could be nowhere near as amazing as last year’s show at the Relentless Garage. This feeling of foreboding was also not helped by the prospect of the venue, the much lambasted HMV forum, widely regarded to have poor acoustics and to be about as hot as the sun.

Having been kept waiting outside Kentish Town train station by my co-rockers, Mike Richer, Daniel Lynn and Callum Wilson, we reached the venue at around a quarter past nine. Cue a manic rush to the cloak room and a mazy surge towards the front of the stage. The venue was just as I remember it, hot, crowded, sticky and with a stage too grand for the hall. However, we managed to wind up slap bang in the centre so at least we had good views, apart from  when a 7ft tall beast decided to stand right in front of me.

After the epic classical music subsided, and the countless teenage girls stopped their incessant screaming, the lights went down and the eerie tones of ‘The World According to Revenge’ rang out around the Forum. A good song to set the mood for the evening, the band have made a habit of allowing this menacing track warm up the crowd for their inevitable arrival. Jumping on stage to the opening chords of ‘Chapel of Blood’ it is clear that the Murderdolls intend to bring the Forum to its knees tonight. Wave after wave of enthusiasm and energy pulsate from the stage as frontman Wednesday 13 and rhythm guitarist Joey Jordison lead the mobs of Murderdolls faithful though hit after hit, from both of their albums.

While I enjoyed the performance, I was not feeling the same love for the band that I felt on that cold night last september (find review below), when I was blown away by this Californian quintet. To be honest I began to grow weary of the samey chord progressions as the latter songs of the set began to blur one another. Cue a trip to the bar for a well needed diet coke but this was still not enough to revitalise my love for the band. Maybe it would have been different if I had not seen them at that September gig, who knows? Once the predictable setlist grew to a close, with a performance of ‘I Love to Say F**k’ I have to be honest in that I was glad to be out of the Forum and away from the band. Although there were some enjoyable moments in the set, it was largely disappointing for me. I feel that the venue itself was too big for a band like the Murderdolls, I either see them as playing small venues, as the Garage, or rocking festivals with a cameo performance, as they did at Ozzfest last year. It is safe to say, however, that the longevity of the band in my eyes is considerably waning after this lacklustre performance. Sorry Lynney, but that is my objective view!

Rating: 4/10

Setlist:

1. The World According to Revenge

2. Chapel of Blood

3. Death Valley Superstars

4. Homicide Drive

5. Slit My Wrist

6. Twist My Sister

7. She Was A Teenage Zombie

8. My Dark Place Alone

9. Drug Me To Hell

10. Summertime Suicide

11. Die My Bride

12. People Hate Me

13. Blood Stained Valentine

14. Pieces of You

15. Bad Things

16. Nowhere

17. Welcome to the Strange

18. 197666

19. Motherf**ker I Don’t Care

Encore 1

20. Dawn of the Dead

21. I Take Drugs

22. Dead in Hollywood

Encore 2

23. I Love to Say F**k

Gig Review: Funeral For A Friend @ Sub 89, Reading. 12/11/2010

First of all, apologies for the delay in this post, I couldn’t be bothered yesterday and i had a lab report to write today. So get off my back Mike and Lynn, here it is, I hope it is rubbish and you hate reading it. Well, I don’t hope it is rubbish, it would be nice for one of my reviews to be at least half decent!

After a hugely delayed journey back from Brighton, and a horribly rushed dinner consisting of two sausage rolls, we ventured to Sub 89 in Reading in order to watch Funeral for a Friend. This would be my fifth time watching what is fast becoming one of my favourite rock bands.

The venue was basically identical to the O2 Academy at Oxford so I felt fairly at home with this club turned gig venue that I was visiting for the first time. One thing that immediately hit me was the amount of girls that were dressed up for this gig, prompting me to wonder whether we had come on the right night! No worries though, as we were then reunited with gig, and soul, mates Adrian and Dan, and the banter resumed.

The support act for tonight was the eagerly anticipated Rise to Remain, a band headed up by none other than the son of Mr Bruce Dickenson! However, this parental connection is most definitely where the band’s Maiden links end, their brand of metalcore a far cry from the galloping riff’s of Dickenson senior’s band. It is evident that I was a number of very few people who had seen Rise to Remain before, having been blow away by them at Sonisphere this year, and i must say that this performance impressed me more. Playing to a crowd where they were virtual unknowns, they managed to get it going in a great way. I think it is safe to say that the boys left the stage with a fair number of new fans after yet another sterling performance.

Now to the night’s main act. I was a bit unsure about what kind of set list that the boys would be flaunting tonight, well aware of the new line-up and looming new album. With minimal mucking about, the boys jump on to the stage and launch in to new, and heavier than normal, single Serpents in Solitude. Not familiar with this song, I assumed that this might be a more laid back gig, where the lads would take the opportunity to air some new material, I was secretly glad for this as i was still feeling pretty damn man-fluey. However, no sooner had the last meaty tones of this opening song fade, then the band threw themselves into classic Roses for the Dead, and my night of relaxed musical enlightenment was dashed as I ran head first into the rapidly expanding mosh pit.

The guys were on top form tonight, and confirmed the belief in my mind that they are one of the classiest acts around. The new bassist fit in effortlessly, his raw style giving the band a bit of a grittier feel. There was also a great deal more ‘banter’ coming from the band than I had previously witnessed, this is possibly due to Matthew Davies-Kreye being a little bit tipsy. Hilarious chat involving pregnant ladies tearing up the pit, and going off on ‘bastard tangents’ aside, i was impressed with his vocals tonight, coming through much clearer than the previous times i have seen the group.

New songs went down very well it must be said, a personal favourite being Front Row Seats to the End of the World. With minimal time between songs, the lads rattle through a great deal of material, before seemingly ending with a one-two of fan favourites History and Into Oblivion, before returning for a powerful encore.

I was very impressed with Funeral tonight, a much more enjoyable and powerful performance than I have seen before from them. Maybe it is because this size of venue suits them more than the bloated audience gained at festivals. They had complete control of their audience, we really were eating out the palms of their hands.

Rating: 8/10

1. Serpents In Solitude

2. Roses For The Dead

3. Rookie Of The Year

4. Sixteen

5. Juneau

6. Red is the New Black

7. Damned If You Do, Dead If You  Don’t

8. The End Of Nothing

9. Wrench

10. Vultures

11. Man Alive

12. History

13. Into Oblivion

Encore

14. All The Rage

15. Front Row Seats To The End Of The World

16. Escape Artists Never Die

Gig Review: Avenged Sevenfold and Stone Sour @ Brighton Centre. 07/11/2010

For any right thinking rock fan, a tour co headlined by Avenged Sevenfold and Stone Sour is one that must be witnessed at all costs. Apart, these bands are big enough to at least sub headline some of the biggest festivals, both headlining second stages at Sonisphere and Download respectively in the last few years. So it is a bit of a no brainer that one gig comprising of both of these American heavyweights is going to be a sell out. That is exactly what this show was, in fact, that is exactly what the whole tour was, Corey Taylor proclaiming that this has been the biggest UK tour by anyone this year. This is extremely impressive considering the future of one of the participants, Avenged Sevenfold, was looking to be very precarious after the tragic death of their drummer just after Christmas last year. This tour was a fitting tribute to a great musician.

The venue for this, the last show of the tour, was the deceptively large Brighton Centre. Now, I must admit I am not a fan of this venue, basically a conference hall with a stage at one end. The main criticism i have of it is that there is no character. When one attends shows at Brixton Academy, or Hammersmith Apollo, there is a certain something that goes with the venue adding to the viewing experience. There was no such ‘special something’ at this dreary late seventies seaside monstrosity. However, it does have a capacity of over 5,000 making it larger than the previously mentioned venues.

The support for tonight, as for the rest of the tour, was the ‘super group’ Hell Yeah! A bastardisation of Mudvayne and Pantera, one can tell what Hell Yeah! are about by trawling through their song titles, with such gems as Alcohaulin Ass. I witnessed this group at Download festival this year and to say I was unimpressed would be very kind. Needless to say I had no desire to catch any of this support act.

As the crowd started to fill out and creep forward, I must say that I was again reminded of the reason why i attend London gigs whenever possible. The majority of people around me were half my height and at least ten years younger than me. However, I guess I was expecting this for the evening’s first act, Sevenfold, as their fan base is on the whole a lot younger than the generally heavier Stone Sour’s.

The stage was completely obscured by a large black curtain, implying that we were in for quite a treat of a set from the Sevenfold boys. As the lights extinguished, and the haunting chimes of Nightmare rang out, the curtain dropped revealing an extremely impressive graveyard scene, complete with burning torches. The band take to the stage amid thunderous applause, and the night is well and truly under way.

I had been looking forward to this gig for a long time, having seen neither of the bands before. Avenged Sevenfold’s latest album just built up my anticipation of seeing the guys in action. Honestly, I have to say that I was underwhelmed by their performance tonight. Whether it was the quiet vocals, or the surprisingly lacklustre stage presence of M Shadows, the band did not blow me away in the slightest, an eventuality that unpleasantly surprised me. Their performance was not aided by the crowd, who being saturated with younger fans, were more irritating than anything, any attempts at stable ‘mosh pits’ were unconvincing and easily swallowed up masses by ‘bopping’ teens. Maybe I am being a bit harsh on the boys, they did play well, and the set was extremely impressive, especially during the up temp finish to Buried Alive, but I was not inspired nearly as much as I was expecting. The set list was decent, however, I would have preferred a rendition of Bat Country to Almost Easy to close the set but hey ho. There was a good mix of hits off the new album and older classics such as Beast and the Harlot and Unholy Confessions but the latter song failed to illicit the destructive audience response that it really deserves.

There was a rather touching dedication to their late band mate, Jimmy ‘The Rev’ Sullivan, followed by an emotional performance of So Far Away which definitely pulled at the heartstrings. Stepping into ‘The Rev’s shoes was never going to be easy, but new, stand in, drummer, Mike Portnoy, was welcomed to the Sevenfold family with open arms by the fans and it is hoped that long may their affiliation continue.

Overall, a disappointing performance from the boys. I was expecting a more impassioned performance, given the high regard that their live performances are given and I did feel a little let down. However, it still won’t stop me going to see them time and time again.

Rating: 6/10

1. Nightmare

2. Critical Acclaim

3. Welcome to the Family

4. Beast and the Harlot

5. Buried Alive

6. So Far Away

7. Afterlife

8. God Hates Us

9. Unholy Confessions

10. Almost Easy

So to the evenings next act, the much anticipated Stone Sour. As the Avenged fans filtered out in search of water and the like, we managed to secure pretty damn good spots right at the centre of the stage, now covered with a large white sheet. After half an hour break, the lights extinguished again, and the crowd exploded, evidently much more ‘up for’ the closing act. Cue some epic Star Wars music (the piece from the Phantom Menace accompanying the awesome lightsaber battle at the end) along with a pretty impressive light show focussed around a large Stone Sour emblem imposed upon the curtain. As the music reached its dénouement , the shadow of an statuesque man standing, arm aloft, centre stage was imprinted upon the canvas. Corey was waiting. The curtain dropped, and Stone Sour launched into their opening track, Mission Statement. The energy emanating from the five-some was incredible, Corey Taylor the centre of it all, running around like a man possessed, all the while maintaining perfect vocal control. This was more like it, Stone Sour had come to show us what a rock concert is supposed to be like.

A brief pause, only enough for Corey to greet the crowd and announce that this performance was being recorded for the band’s new DVD. Due to the time constraint of this gig, both bands being given an hour set, there is minimal time for ‘chat’ and the boys hurtle into their second song, a perfect rendition of Reborn. Thankfully, the crowd are much better for Stone Sour, most of the scene kids had left for safer climes, leaving mostly the more hardcore rock fans to battle it out for Taylor’s amusement.

I am not sure what it was about Stone Sour tonight, but they absolutely blew me away. They were phenomenal. No amount of superlatives would be enough to describe how good they were. The set list was spot on, you could feel the energy emanating from the stage, Corey’s vocals were (as ever) immaculate, the “wall of dance” was hilarious, the light show was simple but spectacular....I could go on. In fact, on factor that sets Stone Sour apart from many bands that I have seen live this year was the emotion shown by the boys tonight. The most prominent example of this was during a powerful rendition of Bother, when an isolated Corey broke down a number of times, tears streaming down his face, if that isn’t raw emotion then I don’t know what is.

Given this level of intensity from the band, it could be expected that this was a very ‘serious’ rock gig. However, Stone Sour know the score. Like the best acts from this genre, they still remember to have fun up on stage. One of the highlights of the evening was Corey initiating a Wall of Dance during Hell and Consequences. Now a Wall of Dance is very different to a Wall of Death, in that in the former, instead of beating people up, when the two sides meet, people dance with each other. For me it is things like this that make Corey Taylor the complete showman. Capable of humbling passion and emotion, possessor of one of the greatest voices around, but also with the sense of humour to be able to illicit spontaneous waltzing during a heavy metal riff.

The destructive 30/30-150 brought an end to an impeccable performance, one that flew by all too quickly. Battered and bruised, we emerged from the depths of the pit to stumble out into the cold Brighton air. Content, elated, and thunderstruck. This performance is going to take some beating.

Given the short nature of the set, it is impossible for me to give this performance top marks, but safe to say, today, Stone Sour absolutely blew Avenged Sevenfold out of the water, they were phenomenal. Although I do await Corey’s return to Slipknot, I just hope that Stone Sour keep on recording and performing. What. A. Band.

Rating: 9/10

1. Mission Statement

2. Reborn

3. Made of Scars

4. Say You’ll Haunt Me

5. Get Inside

6. Unfinished

7. Your God

8. Bother (Corey Taylor solo)

9. Through Glass

10. Digital (Did You Tell)

11. Hell & Consequences

12. 30/30-150

Should America's Game Stay In America?

This is a question posited by many critics of the NFL every time that the glitz of the most lucrative sport in the world ventures to our sceptered isle.  It is no secret that the majority of sports fans in the UK have no time for ‘American Football’ , common criticisms being its ‘stop-start’ nature and the length of time that it takes to finish a game. Thus, the average Brit will typically be dismissive of this bastardisation of rugby that requires you to strap on 50kg of padding before you play. Given this common view it may be obvious at this point that the NFL should remain stateside, where it belongs. However,  the NFL has a very committed, and rapidly growing, following this side of the Atlantic and has become one of the most widely watched sports in recent years. So popular has the sport become that in 2005, the NFL decided that London would be the venue for the first regular season game to played outside North America. The subsequent contest between the Miami Dolphins and the New York Giants was one played in front of a sold out crowd of NFL fanatics at Wembley Stadium in October of that year. So impressive was the success of this game that the NFL has returned to London for one game a season ever since.

I was one of nearly 84,000 lucky NFL fans who managed to gain tickets to the latest regular season game to be played at Wembley, this time between the San Francisco 49ers and the Denver Broncos, last month. I was keen to see how my experience of the ‘big event’ would match up to the hype surrounding it and whether the NFL’s foray into the United Kingdom was welcome. As a big follower of the sport, I had been looking forward to this game for a long time, having missed out on the previous three visits to our country’s capital.

Formerly, I had attended two regular season NFL games, both in the northern Florida town of Jacksonville, in order to see my beloved Jaguars take to the field. Having witnessed the passion and excitement that accompanies a ‘football’ game in America, an experience that served to belittle the fervour that is so praised in our English Premiership, I was keen to see whether British NFL fans could match the atmospheric monstrosity that the members of both teams are accustomed to.

Initially, the answer to this question would be a resounding ‘no’. Although every attendee to this latest ‘international series’ was bursting with anticipation, this was just the excitement at a chance to see their adored sport in the flesh, a chance the majority have never had before due to this event’s habit of selling out within hours of going on sale. As a result, the atmosphere in the stadium was very flat to begin with, not helped by a horrific performance by My Chemical Romance in the pre-game ‘show’.

However, it must be said that this initial flatness compared to atmospheres stateside was completely understandable. Even though there were 84,000 fans in attendance, it is estimated that less than a fifth of these supported either of the two teams at this event. Therefore, the majority in the stadium were neutral and passive in their support of either team. The placid atmosphere was not helped by a less than mediocre first half of ‘football’ played by both teams, the San Francisco offence looking particularly impotent.

As the game progressed, however, and the quality of football improved, the fans came into their own. From a dreary 3-0 score line at half time, the match exploded in the latter quarters, ending up with a 24-16 win for the 49ers. Due to the massively neutral nature of the stadium, every piece of brilliance, whether it be an interception, a fumble recovery, a touchdown pass or a crunching sack, was met with unadulterated mayhem. The whole crowd was obviously loving every minute of the game, well the second half at least. Although it took a while to get going (ok a whole half is a bit too much, but can be worked on), the atmosphere at this year’s ‘international series’ far outshone any that I have experienced stateside. I think the best word to be used to describe the feeling inside Wembley on this cold October night is ‘happiness’. Everyone was just having an incredible time, grateful at getting the opportunity to watch one of the best sports in the world first hand. Corny as it may sound, the American’s have extended out a hand of sporting friendship with this gift to us, and we have most definitely latched on with two hands.

Given the success of the last four outings into the British market, and the planned future expansion of the NFL within the next few years, there is the possibility of a permanent NFL franchise to be based in London, an idea that has the support of NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. However, this eventuality is a long way off, the next step is securing multiple regular season games a year in the UK.

The crowds witnessed at every NFL game at Wembley since 2005 is the best sign of the success of the ‘international series’. My personal experience of this fourth ‘international series’ has just cemented in my mind that the NFL is in it for the long run, it is here to stay, get used to it folks.

Gig Review: Alter Bridge @ Hammersmith Apollo. 22/10/2010

I think it is pretty much safe to say that this gig was, in my own mind, the most highly anticipated one of the year so far. Now, i realise that this is a very big statement as my gigging year included shows by Ozzy Osborne, Lostprophets, Trivium, Murderdolls and Kiss, among others, but it is one that shows the ridiculously high regard with which I hold Alter Bridge.  

It was great to see the boys back in the UK together as the respective members have been apart for a few years, gallivanting off on their own side projects. Mark Tremonti, Brian Marshall and Scott Phillips returned to reform Creed for a reunion tour, and Myles Kennedy toured as vocalist for Slash’s recently launched solo career, all playing to sold out crowds on both sides of the Atlantic. After this brief, but all too long, hiatus,  the foursome headed back to the studio this summer to put the finishing touches on their third album, the imaginably entitled ABIII. The album was met with widespread critical acclaim and is set to be the boys highest selling venture to date. This third offering is very different to all that has preceded it, with darker lyrics and a wholly experimental feel it could take some getting used to for older AB fans, however this does not undermine its brilliance. It is the anticipation for this album that has lead to this tour being a sell out weeks before the album even hit the stores.

Tonight’s venue was the, for want of a better word, legendary Hammersmith Apollo, nothing more than Myles and Co deserved. In fact, before the gig Myles tweeted that it was an honour to be playing on the same stage where Bowie retired Ziggy Stardust, so it meant a great deal to the boys to be playing here. It was, ashamedly, the first time that I have ventured to this part of London for gigging purposes, and i have to say that i was initially underwhelmed by the size of the venue as it looks a great deal bigger on television. However, despite this initial disappointment, the Apollo is indeed a very impressive venue, enhanced by the gentle slope allowing for unobstructed viewing of the imperious stage from all parts of the standing section.

The support for tonight’s show were a British band entitled Slaves to Gravity. I only caught a few of the closing songs of their set but was very impressed with what I heard. The lead singers vocals are very powerful and often one could be forgiven for mistaking his voice for that of Myles Kennedy himself. A very fitting support act that did a cracking job of getting the crowd going.

I guess after all this preamble I should really talk a little bit about tonight’s main act? Well ok then. There was only ever one song that the boys were going to open with, and as the hall went black, the eerily haunting tones of Slip To The Void echoed around Hammersmith. Cue the spotlight on Myles, standing, deified in the centre of the stage, his voice once again note perfect. This song, the first track on ABIII, really is a perfect opener, its haunting, slow tune soon gives way to a typically powerful Tremonti riff, and the night is underway. With minimal banter, or any gap between tracks, the boys crack out a great number of songs from the tremendously popular second album, Blackbird, that are met with unbelievable scenes amongst the AB faithful. Many new offerings from ABIII are effortlessly slipped into the set and although were not met with as  great enthusiasm as the older stuff, this is understandable as the album has only been out for a week.

This was my second time watching what I can honestly claim to be my joint favourite band (with the  Lostprophets), and I was once again astounded by the power, and perfection of the voice of Myles Kennedy. If you have not had the pleasure of seeing him sing live, whether with Slash, AB, The Mayfield Four or whoever, get on YouTube and witness it for yourself. A particular highlight of tonight’s gig that promotes this fact, and a song that none of us expected to be played, was a perfect rendition of old favourite Broken Wings (also the performance of Watch Over You is amazing and a must see). Truly a sight to behold, in fact Myles could not contain his amusement during this song at seeing the ferocious moshpit during the tracks quieter moments, showing that he was truly having the time of his life up there.

The set list was, in my opinion, very cleverly put together. Mixing up old and new songs, there was never a lull in the performance, as is expected of many bands trying out new material. The juxt apposition of head banging classic Metalingus with songs like Ghost of Days Gone By was an inspired decision as it kept the crowd awake and on their toes.

After the incredible Blackbird and Open Your Eyes, the boys announce that they are done for the night, say thanks for having us, see you soon...blah blah the usual spiel from a band who are obviously returning in five minutes for an encore. Return they do. Myles sits alone on stage with his acoustic guitar and leads the audience in an extremely emotional sing-along of Watch Over You, the power of this song is unrivalled and there was many a tear shed during this tremendous performance. The boys typically finish with Rise Today, a  phenomenal closer that leaves everyone gasping for more. A cracking show that cements Alter Bridge’s reputation as one of the greatest live bands out there, and one which saw them perform an unbelievable twenty song set list.

 When will they be back? Well the rumours are that Myles will be rejoining Slash for a world tour until early summer, leaving the way open for some much needed UK festival performances from the AB foursome. The question is, will it be Download, Sonisphere or Reading? Rating: 9/10

1. Slip To The Void

2. Buried Alive

3. Before Tomorrow Comes

4. Still Remains

5. Brand New Start

6. White Knuckles

7. All Hope Is Gone

8. Metalingus

9. Ghost Of Days Gone By

10. Broken Wings

11. Ties That Bind

12. One Day Remains

13. I Know It Hurts

14. Come To Life

15. Blackbird

16. Open Your Eyes

Encore

17. Watch Over You (Acoustic) (An absolute MUST SEE, YouTube it folks)

18. Wonderful Life (Acoustic)

19. Isolation

20. Rise Today

Gig Review: Ozzfest @ O2 Arena. 18/09/2010

London’s O2 Arena was the location for the first UK leg of the world famous Ozzfest in five long years. At each previous visit to this venue, I have been extremely impressed with the organisation of the crowd control and the efficiency with which punters are moved through the gates. Sadly, this occasion was an entirely different ‘kettle ‘o’ fish’. Despite a sell out crowd of over 23,000, the powers that be deemed it sensible to open only two of the venues numerous gates. However, not happy with the one ridiculous oversight, they then proceeded to not tell anybody that there was a second entrance open, seemingly content to watch the queue stretch all the way from Gate B to North Greenwich Tube Station. Luckily we arrived an hour and a quarter before the days first act so made it into the arena with minutes to spare, thousands of others were not so lucky.

The opening act of this London leg of Ozzy’s latest tour was the ever impressive Skindred, who performed admirably considering that most of their potential fans were still filtering through the turnstiles. Dressed in immaculately shiny, silver suits, the Welsh quartet set the tone for the entire day with their very first track; a ferocious rendition of “Stand for Something”. The audience gradually grew in number due to the decision of the organisers to actually tell people about the second entrance (makes sense, wait until the opening band has started before attempting to sort out the mess....) and by the time the band perform fan favourite “Pressure” there is a healthy number in attendance. Skindred are one of those bands who never fail to disappoint live, their unique mix of metal with reggae is refreshingly original and as ever, the boys look like they are enjoying themselves. A great festival band, Skindred were truly an inspired booking, a pity they did not get a chance to play to the audience that they deserve. Rating: 7/10

Setlist:

 1. Stand For Something

2. Rat Race

3. You Can’t Stop It

4. Pressure

5. Bassline Sample

6. Bruises

7. Destroy The Dancefloor

8. Trouble

9. Cause Ah Riot

10. Nobody

With the arena now filling up nicely it is the turn of the day’s first American act to entertain the masses. Steel Panther are on deck now and there is a great sense of anticipation by those in attendance as their live act is certainly a sight to behold. Strolling on stage in order to do their own sound checks, the band joke with those in the front row and drummer Stix Zadinia even leads the crowd in a chorus of “Community Property”. Looking relaxed and ready to rock, the band assume their starting positions. The voice over starts, queue the sounds of a panther roaring, and the band launch into “Eyes Of A Panther”, a cracking opening song. Many critics have claimed that the Steel Panther ‘joke’ is getting old and is seriously not funny anymore. All I can say is that these critics cannot have seen the band live. This was my third time witnessing the Key Club’s finest and yet again they blew me away. The on stage banter is still hilarious, however possibly in need of updating for their next tour, and has the crowd in stitches. Michael Starr, a self titled skinny version of Vince Neil (not a fat Dave Lee-Roth), is again on top form, hitting high note after high note and has a stage presence the like of which I have only seen from Metallica’s James Hetfield. New song critter is met with great enthusiasm and is proof that this band are here to stay. The classic “Death To All But Metal” brings an end to a great set that does the Prince of Darkness proud, another genius addition to this bill. Rating: 8.5/10

Setlist:

1. Eyes Of a Panther

2. Asian Hooker

3. Party All Day

4. Critter (New Song)

5. Community Property

6. Satchel Guitar Solo

7. Turn Out The Lights

8. The Shocker

9. Death To All But Metal

Next up to entertain thousands of Ozzy fans were the band who I had witnessed play the gig of their lives the night before. They were of course the ever dramatic and impressive Murderdolls. Fans of the horror punk group flocked to the front of the stage as for many this will have been their first experience to witness this elusive band. As the night before, the haunting tones of “The World According To Revenge” signal the start of this latest outing from one of Hollywood’s finest super groups. Massive cheers welcome Wednesday 13’s arrival to the stage, closely followed by an explosion from the crowd as Joey Jordison makes his appearance. The band launch into “Chapel Of Blood” which illicits an extremely enthusiastic response from the Murderdolls faithful. Even though the group are once again perfect, full of enthusiasm and deliver a set full of crowd favourites and new songs, this set cannot compare to the show that I witnessed by the very same band the night before. Whether it was the larger venue, or the lack of hardcore fans in attendance, the group did not illicit as much enthusiasm as that cold Friday night in North London (see my review below for this amazing gig). At times Wednesday 13 looked uneasy attempting to control the bloated crowd but this was the only downside of yet another rocking Murderdolls performance as they managed to rock through 13 songs in 45 minutes while still maintaining a good level of crowd interaction. Due to their fast paced music, endless enthusiasm and good natured banter, they really are a good festival band and we can only hope to be seeing them at one of the big ‘uns in 2011. Rating: 8/10

Setlist:

1. The World According To Revenge

2. Chapel Of Blood

3. Slit My Wrist

4. Twist My Sister

5. My Dark Place Alone

6. Drug Me To Hell

7. Summertime Suicide

8. Die My Bride

9. Nowhere

10. Rock ‘n’ Roll Is All I Got

11. Motherf**ker, I Don’t Care

12. Dead In Hollywood

13. I Love To Say F**K

The next band on the Ozzfest line-up for today were Korn. Now, due to our ridiculously late night the night before, and having just been in the midst of it all for the previous three bands, we decided to miss the Californian heavyweights in the pursuit of more relaxing activities in order to fully enjoy the evening’s headliner. By all accounts however, Korn were extremely impressive and played out of their skins.

I guess the best place to end this review is with the man everybody has been waiting for all day, the self titled Prince of Darkness, Ozzy Osbourne. While the sound checks are finishing, the great man’s voice echoes around the arena, geeing up the crowd and starting loud football crowdesque chants. “Are we ready to get crazy?” he asks, the response from the crowd is a resounding yes as they erupt with cheers and screams. All eyes are turned towards the video screens as Ozzy’s intro begins, full of spoofs of films like Avatar and Twighlight that are hilarious. The screens then fade to a shot of a ghostly white orb, the moon, and everyone here is left without a doubt about the song that Ozzy will choose to kick off tonight’s set. Eyes back to the stage, where the band has taken up their positions, Ozzy enters amid outrageous screams and the opening riff of “Bark At The Moon” blasts out of the speakers, definitely cranked up to eleven tonight as confirmed by the ringing in my ears. I have to admit, I was surprised at how good Ozzy’s voice was live, having heard horror stories about his live vocals recently. To be fair, during the chorus of each song it was hard to hear Ozzy over the deafening roar of the crowd but this is not due to any loss in vocal prowess by the great man, just a testament to how good his songs are.

As with any performance by the Prince of Darkness, the crowd are treated to a selection of songs written when he was with his previous band. Now, I am not normally a fan of solo artists filling their sets with covers of their old band, like Kele at Reading festival who played a Bloc Party covers set, but I am happy to let it slide in this instance as Ozzy’s old band are the ridiculously good Black Sabbath, plus Ozzy has established himself as one of the greatest solo artists of all time so I think we can allow a few Sabbath hits! The crowd are expecting a return to this era of course, and the only question is what Sabbath songs we will be treated to. The first of the night does not disappoint, a tremendous rendition of “Fairies Wear Boots” that send the crowd into a frenzy.

Ozzy was on top form in this latest leg of his Ozzfest tour. He was clearly enjoying every moment of the set, and can you blame him? 23,000 people screaming the lyrics to every song, while he sprayed those lucky enough to be in the front row, and security who ran for cover at every opportunity, with a large foam cannon. Not only is the man himself on top of his game, Ozzy’s new band are also an extremely talented bunch and show as much during an instrumental cover of Sabbath’s “Rat Salad” including very impressive solos on both the guitar and drums.

By the end of the fantastic set closer, “Paranoid”, nobody in the building; security, crowd, band and even Ozzy himself, has any energy left, everyone has given it there all tonight. This was an unbelievable performance that showed to everyone presence that not only has Ozzy still got it, but his live performances are just getting better and better. Rating: 10/10

Setlist:

1. Bark At The Moon

2. Let Me Hear You Scream

3. Mr. Crowley

4. I Don’t Know

5. Fairies Wear Boots (Black Sabbath Cover)

6. Suicide Solution

7. War Pigs (Black Sabbath Cover)

8. Road To Nowhere

9. Shot In The Dark

10. Rat Salad (Instrumental) (Black Sabbath Cover)

11. Iron Man (Black Sabbath Cover)

12. Killer of Giants

13. Into the Void (Black Sabbath Cover)

14. I Don’t Want To Change The World

15. Crazy Train

Encore

16. Mama, I’m Coming Home

17. Paranoid (Black Sabbath Cover)