Concerts: The Heavy Heavy Monster Show - Lordi @ Institute, Birmingham, UK 05/10/2013 - Sea of Tranquility - The Web Destination for Progressive Music!

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The Heavy Heavy Monster Show - Lordi @ Institute, Birmingham, UK 05/10/2013

Posted on Sunday, May 12 2013 @ 09:08:43 CDT by Dean Pedley

Seven years since they exploded across the TV screens of Europe with their Eurovision Song Contest winning anthem 'Hard Rock Hallelujah', horror movie monster metallers Lordi are still going strong. Returning to the UK in support of new album To Beast Or Not To Beast, the Finnish five piece are still bringing back the balls to rock and roll. Sea of Tranquility's Dean Pedley reports from a gig that also included support from Italian power metal band Kaledon.

We haven't seen much of Kaledon here in the UK but they nevertheless command a healthy following amongst the Birmingham crowd, a number who appear to be more than familiar with their galloping sword and sorcery epics. Travelling without their regular keyboard player they opt for the use of samples as opposed to a replacement which is no bad thing as on stage space is somewhat limited. Very much schooled in the ways of Blind Guardian and Hammerfall, the penetrating screams of vocalist Marco Palazzi hit the spot and with plenty of tight solos and charging tempos this is top notch power metal. Kaledon have finally completed their six album Legend of the Forgotten Reigns cycle that spanned a decade and latest release Altor: The Kings Blacksmith heralds the start of a new saga, also providing the standout moment of the set with the soaring 'A Dark Prison'.

With the stage decked out like a carnival set in a graveyard and 'God of Thunder' blasting out the PA, the audience is more than ready for Lordi. Taking the stage one by one are deranged drummer Mana, robot Barbie doll Hella, mummified guitarist Amen, horned beast Ox and the bat-winged demon himself, Mr Lordi.

For the next hour and forty minutes the stage is awash with theatrical decapitations, smoke guns, chainsaws, confetti and snow. As Mr Lordi acknowledges in interviews the OTT presentation owes much to Alice, WASP, Twisted Sister and the whole 80's shock rock scene but there is no denying that Lordi provide their very own unique twists and turns. Musically one insistent chorus follows another as they romp through the likes of 'We're Not Bad For The Kids', 'Who's Your Daddy?' and 'This Is Heavy Metal'. Dropping the pace for a moment things almost become sentimental with 'It Snows in Hell' before they are once again firing on all cylinders with 'I'm The Best', 'They Only Come Out At Night' and 'Devil Is A Loser'.

Whilst Mr Lordi is the centre attraction the gargantuan bassist Ox seems to completely fill his side of the stage and Amen's impressive guitar solo is accompanied by a spinning wheel straight out of hell. But even if you take away the imagery Lordi still deliver old fashioned hard rocking anthems that are guaranteed to have the fists in the air and the horns raised high. Encore time brings the inevitable 'Hard Rock Hallelujah' and 'Sincerely With Love', the latter with its 'Fuck You Asshole' refrain ringing out around the room before they sign off by asking the question 'Would You Love A Monsterman?'. Well, the results are in from the Birmingham jury and the answer is a resounding YES!

Intro - SCG6: Otus' Butcher Clinic
We're Not Bad For The Kids (We're Worse)
Bringing Back the Balls to Rock
The Riff
Who's Your Daddy?
Blood Red Sandman
Schizo Doll
This Is Heavy Metal
Something Wicked This Way Comes
It Snows in Hell
Drum Solo
Supermonstars (The Anthem of the Phantoms)
I'm the Best
Guitar Solo
They Only Come Out at Night
Devil Is a Loser
Hulking Dynamo
Hard Rock Hallelujah
Sincerely With Love
Would You Love A Monsterman?

Review by Dean Pedley
Images by kind permission of Jay Hawkins - check out www.music224.com