Like the annual change in the weather you can rely on a Motörhead European tour every November, and like taxes it seems they are here to stay. Bringing with them Anthrax for this jaunt it seems the Rock 'N Rollers wanted some serious competition on board the tour, they certainly got that.
First up, in this triple feast of metallic fury were newcomers Diaries Of A Hero. Not so much the proverbial lambs to the slaughter as some would have regarded them to be, they certainly produced a mighty fine sound. With a Rock/Metal edge to them it's too their credit that I cannot pigeon hole their sound. New, vibrant and fresh would be the best way to describe them. Crunching solo's, pounding drums and Charlie, the man behind the voice was simply superb. A fat injection of immediate sound seemed to impress the diehard Motörhead fans, which is no mean feat.
Anthrax has been riding the wrecking ball of popularity since re-uniting with Belladonna and the release of the fantastic 'Worship Music'. Their back catalogue is undisputable so it comes as no surprise that we get 'Mad House', 'I Am The Law' and 'Anti-Social' alongside new one 'In The End'. Halfway through the set two banners are revealed with the images of Ronnie James Dio & Dimebag Darrell, needless to say the crowd erupts into shouts of appreciation while devil horns are cast skywards. Scott Ian, whose beard resembles a dead racoon balancing on his chin every time I see it, is thrashing about the stage trying to get the 'motherfuckers in the seats to stand the fuck up!!!' Anthrax is on fire, Belladonna covers every inch of the stage and they play like a new band hungry for attention, a magnificent, if short set.
Motörhead stroll onto the stage while Lemmy proclaims 'We're Motörhead, and we play Rock 'N Roll'. Yes its loud, yes it's Lemmy and yes the classics are rolled out once again. However after the energy of Anthrax and Diaries Of A Hero, Motörhead just seem to be playing by numbers and somewhat pedestrian. The faithful lap it up as the PA gets gradually turned up and the vibration of the Rickenbacker pounds the chest. 'Damage Case, Stay Clean, Killed By Death '& the ever present 'Ace Of Spades' are undeniable classics still hungered for in the live arena by the fans which the band duly deliver. Motörhead are still relevant in this ever changing world of Rock/Metal, their influence still runs deep in the veins of many bands. This performance just seems a little tired, maybe the years of debauchery are finally catching up on our Lemmy, and they can however still claim that everything's louder than everyone else.
Mark Davies.
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