Quick Nav. Select a band

The big day out
Cradle of filth
Type o negative
Slipknot
Sister of mercy
My dying bride
Papa roach
Cradle of filth (2)
Marilyn manson
Offspring

Napalm death
Ozzfest
AFI
Spineshank
Rammstein
AFI (2)
Bad religion
In flames
Whitby
MurderDolls

Stonesour
Marily Manson (2)

 


Concert Tell me more...
Metallica's Big day out

Pitch shift
Marilyn Manson
Placebo
Monster Magnet

Plus more... ALOT!!!! more (I have a bad memory)

Top of page

Metallica's Big day out 10th July (rating:10/10)
Metal overload, the experience is still a blur. early morning to late night heavy god damn metal mayhem... The best bands in the world converging onto Milton Keynes. I won't go into too much about who played mainly because theres way too many to mention or remember. But this had to be the over all experience that changed us into the freak you see before you.

Cradle of filth
Circus Of horror
? Missed 'em

Top of page

Cradle of filth Astoria 1 (rating:7/10)
Cradles aren't my favourite at home listening group, the music it self is some of the best (mellodic combined with hard metal) but I've always considered Dani the lead singer to be a good showman but a crap singer ruining what should be one of the best groups around. Live is a different story, I see why they keep him around. They covered all the early album stuff (not that I can honestly say what was played) and the little freak himself turned half the crowd into a mosh pit to remember. The one disapointing thing I did remember was the support.. circus of horrors (yes a circus not a band). Some-what lacking, not a good thing to stop a mosh pit for a magic show now is it. We took a dude with us and we had to laugh as he made a remark about one of the dancing show girl, "my god she has a beer belly" shame the audience fell silent at that point so beer gut girl and and crowd just stoped and stared at our friend Roy, as he sunk into the crowd and hid lol.
Type O negative
Coal Chamber
Static X

Top of page

Typo O Negative Astoria 1 (Rating:7.5/10)
Strangly type O was the head line... not for me anyways. With support from staticX and coal chamber type o seemed out classed, still type o is a good band, but I go for more agression over poetic metal. We caught the ass end of static x, but the atmosphere even at the beginning of the gig was there, normaly takes a while to warm up, but it was mosh pit mayhem right from the start. By the time coal chamber came on...smiled and then flew into a heavy version of loco things where getting painful (a good thing). Don't think I've jumped so much in my life, and at points I was mentaly praying for them to stop so I could breath just a little. Then it was Type O time... well after a fecking long scene change which pissed me off a tad. They where good, everything was there and they where loving being there, but it seemed a little flat, more of a stand and listen... a good thing maybe after static X and Coal chamber.

Slipknot
Kitty
One minute silence

Top of page

Slipknot Astoria 1 (rating:8/10)
Yahoo baby, here we go... Kitty kicked off and as expected they where ok, good to watch the kids but thats about all. After the kiddies had finished and gone home to bed (their daddies where there watching lol) was one minute silence time. On CD their good, But live their the best we're talking the most intense live act in my opinion, songs wrote might not be great (good not great) but when their up there jumping like rabid hyenas a certain amount of respect is due... a combination of adrenaline and near death experiences...FUN FUN FUN Then came the slipknot, a intense show... Joey setting the mood right from the beginning. The music and show was as expected, shame we didn't experience anything like the hype would have you believe but still a good show even if it was only for about 45 minutes, 7 minutes being spent on a rather crap rendition of scissors. Many happy memory's and a few boot prints to match :-)

Sisters of mercy
Some crap I can't remember

Top of page

Sisters of mercy, The forum (rating:4/10)
ZZzzZZzz the goods things about a gothic orientated gig is the people and the atmosphere, it just makes me feel at home. So what went wrong here? The support band was a mix of punk/metal and the poor Goth people didn't know what to make of it all, I could see the confusion on their faces. When The sisters did emerge, sorry to say the rumors about them no longer being Goth are true, Nice hockey shirt there Eldridge. The thing is, if you can't be arsed to play then don't go putting on a gig fool, looks like the ol' bank ballance was getting low for the sisters again, not that I could see them through the stage smoke cloud. Never again, I still have a few gallons of that stage smoke stuff in my lungs.
My Dying Bride

Top of page

Sorry I wrote this review too late, the whole thing is a blank... But take my word for this, it was good.
Papa Roach
Grand theft audio

Top of page

One small problem, we couldn't find the damn place... Astoria II thats is. After an hour of searching and asking every bum on the street for directions... We found it (20 meters from Astoria 1), we where not impressed. The Astoria II was a bit of a surprise, it a club with an upstairs and down-stairs, and the place was sold out. The funny thing about Papa Roach fans is that the average age of a fan is about 16, this means we have a packed audience of people alot smaller than me, they jump and I get a broken nose which ain't fun lol. Grand theft Audio came on after the warm up band and they where indeed good, most see them again sometime. When Papa Roach took the stage everyone tried to get to the dance floor.... no chance and theres was a crush and a battle of the fittest. The stuff was from the infest album and indeed it ruled, other than not being able to move and breath (which was a tad annoying). Seems like i'm bitching alot but it seemed the almighty did all he could to turn a good gig against me, bastard. The thing ended, and the dude I went with was no where to be seen... turns out he got a size 10 to the head and went home during the opening act (yes indeed a pussy). So there was yours truly limping home with a messed up face and busted ankle. Opinion: Never see a popular group at the Astoria II, a good club to go to I hear.
Cradle Of Filth (2)
?Got there late
Christian Death

Top of page

Cradles of filth, again... Astoria (Rating:7/10)
Back again, due to some unnamed person ahem *Keith* doing a disappearing act I missed the opening act and half of Christian death.... I was not a happy chap. Christian death was more than I expected, kinder god damn good. I was expecting a slow Goth style depression inducing coma, but alas I was wrong... even had a little mosh to the oh' gothic ones, a mix of slipknot/Goth/metal I was very impressed! Cradles stepped up, the most noticeable thing I remember where the slave girl dancers MMMmm the shorter one is now the sole figure of my depraved thoughts. Cradles took the older stuff and mixed it in with midian material, very intense and a good atmosphere. They learned from the last gig this time, the circus of horrors where there but thankfully the music never stopped... Instead they where given free reign to wander around the stage while cradles where playing = a good show with the intensity we come to expect from cradles of filth.
Summary: Did I mention the slave girl sex act? no....

Marilyn Manson
Disturbed
GodHead

Top of page

Marilyn Manson London Arena (Rating:8/10)
Yeah baby yeah, seems a fitting thing to say. The story goes, we saw Manson on-stage some time back during the time when we thought the band sucked (I repent). I shamefully slept through he's act at the big day out festival (wipe a tear from my eye) only to put on their CD a week later and smack my head against a wall in disbelief at the greatness of the band GRRRR!!! So this was mission to put things right, and I wasn't disappointed... Much. Godhead took the stage and put on a good show, some light jumping but not much on the mosh pit scale of things, but I still recommend getting a copy of the album. But first get your self the new disturbed album, like their performance that night it pretty much kicks ass. To be honest a tad better than mansons (please feel free to disagree). It's Manson time, I was looking forward to the show as much as the band. A tad disappointing, nothing like what he puts on for the American peoples but hey life's a bitch and the show still kicked. The highlight being when some unfortunate freak through a shoe at the skinny one himself.... FOOL cos you know he won't be allowing that to go unpunished. So the band stopped at the culprit was dragged on stage with a fisting being promised as a punishment, alas he got off un-violated but a little abused and red. A good show, a bitch to travel to but looking forward to the next time my friend.
Offspring
AFI
Caffeine (me thinks)

Top of page

The Offspring London Arena (Rating:5/10)
It's not that I don't like the offspring, their OK. It's just the fates teamed up against me to reduce the experience to that of it barely being worth the time/hassle. Firstly due to a misunderstanding yours truly had to go alone (feel free to mock my sadness). This is going to be a bitch fest so get comfortable, big events = some mug getting put at the back of a large arena (your looking at him) "look at the stick men" down there yonder. I'm a pit man, being seated just piss's me off so there was me, up in the upper regions of the atmosphere sitting on my arse getting well and truly pissed off ARRRRR KILLL 'EM ALL.
The support was cool, caffeine doing good things for the punks (a kind of green day but softer sound) and AFI went into overdrive, the lead singer almost getting airborne at times... I find something amusing about a dude clad out in PVC rolling around the gaff, marks for stage originality. The offspring are a pure band, it's all about the band, well 95% music 5% show. The anthems came thick and fast and even sounded good where the air was thin (I'll stop bitching about where I was seated now).
Napalm Death
Kerosenes
fruit tree

Top of page

Napalm Death The square (Rating:7/10)
A small but painful event (a good thing). The local club now and again gets some good groups in, must drug/kidnap them or something. The place holds about 150 people, normally has a cult following. The good thing about a small club is the bars no more than 10 steps away at any one time (how sweet is that).
I forget the support, but I remember one act sitting on stage for 10 minutes meditating while "the final count down" was played, yes what the F**K comes to mind. Napalm's music fits a role, try playing this stuff at home and people will be killed, live it instills this uncontrollable urge to break things/people "run little man run". Without a doubt small clubs allow for a more intense experience, even if it hurts a lot more.
Ozzfest

Amen
Soulfly
Disturbed
Mudvayne
Black label society
Planet PE
Raging speed horn
Union underground
Appartment 26
Pure garbage
Slipknot
Papa Roach
Tool
Black sabath

ect...

Top of page

OzzFest, Milton Keynes bowl (rating:9/10)
Yeah baby yeah it's festival time.... Ok it's not so much the band, not even the stuff to see that makes a metal festival great as it is, it's the combination of all these thing. You have the bands (a good line up, not the best tho), the shops and feaky attractions. PLUS you get to see fellow freaks in day light (a rare thing indeed).
Like I mentioned before the lineup was good but... It wasn't a scratch compared to the American version. But you can probably tell by my other reviews that they lack details, thats because I have a goldfish like attention and memory span easily distracted by shiny ojects. But the weather was great, the atmosphere buzzing and a freak-unite attitude ruled... Plus a few good fires later on in the festival. Ozzy did put on a good show, he's looking a little worse for wear, the dude doesn't age but he has only 3 movements. But what do you expect from a bloke who snorted a line of ants for gods sake.... Thats impressive.

AFI
Stamping ground
17 stitchs? who knows

Top of page

AFI, Electric ball room (rating:8/10)
So far so good, I haven't been to many crap gigs and this is no exception. It was a close call, to go or not to go... AFT wasn't on the list to see after I kinder caught a glimpse of them from 2 miles back at the offspring gig.
But there was I up front, death grip on the stage fence hanging on for dear life jumping like a fool (as you do). It rocked and looking forward to the next time the leather clad ones roll into town. I'm not sure what you'd class AFI as, punk me thinks not but it's god damn good. I'm sorry but why are support bands to pants? Not just this gig, I know it's good to support up coming talent but as a general rule there still up coming because of an important reason .... They can't play for shit. Then again you go to a gig for the main band, anything else is a bonus.
Spineshank
Dry kill logic
blah blah blah who knows

Top of page

SpineShank, Astoria (rating:7/10)
Yet again the support was pants, I'm going to have to stop bitching about this... now ends rant. The astoria's got a hamburger stall now, after traveling there I was hungry enough to eat the face of every one there, then I smelt the wonderful stench of grease and stale bread and followed the sweet smell and purchased a bargain burger at around £4 which then proceeded to be knocked out of my hands and stomped into the ground... Oh how they all paid in blood in the mosh pit KILLLLLL.
Battle of the fence!!
I will fight my way to the front
I will get a space at the fence
I will defend that space with the last of my damn blood ...
Don't make me have to mark my space, please lol woe to all those to threaten my territory. It seems like a few determined individuals did attempt to take my spot, it starts with them getting a hand on the fence then in time with the music start to edge me away... HAHAHA no chance baybeee. Spineshank where impressive on the night, aggressive stuff and I think I lost allot of brain cells that night (a good thing) not that I like Nu metal, but live it seemed to work that night.

Rammstein
?

Top of page

Rammstein, Astoria (rating:10.5/10)
With out doubt this had to be the greatest show I attended yet and to be honest I have no idea how it can be beaten. You take rammstein which are one of my favourite bands and then combine that with a pryotechnique display that reminds me of what hell should look like.
The security where cowering for their lives at points as flames burse forth from every corner of the stage, flame thrower fights between band members... I had to turn away from the heat at times. Long live Rammstein.
AFI (2)
No idea who supported

Top of page

AFI, Astoria (rating:5/10)
I've over done the AFI concert, this was a little disapointing. The sound system was shot to hell and even Davey Havock had a hissy fit at the sound crew... I did manage to get a cheap copy of there Art of drownding cd (go buy it).
Bad Religion

Top of page

Bad Religion, The London forum (rating:7/10)
This was a presant to my little sister, her first concert. I like the blapmous one's but I find them a little repeatative.
Even though we where seated the show was good, The main thing was my sister loved it, and it's always fun to chuck stuff at people from the balcony.
In Flames
Pain
Soilwork

Top of page

In Flames, Mean fiddler (rating:8.5/10)
Surely this can not be... Good support acts? I'm amazed, i'm starting to think Sweds make the best music. Soil work had the goth/metal edge I perfered but shame the guitarist needed a little practice where Pain had the guitars (two of them) but the lead singer reminded me of a rabid skinhead, agressive but just screaming.
Damn the trains, yet again we had to leave early (getting stranded in london not a nice thought), so we only caught 30 or so minutes of inflames (still worth it). A great night.
Whitby Gothic weekend

Top of page

WGW, Whitby (rating:9/10)
Ok take my word for it and go, if your even slightly goticly inclined then this is sancuary. Too much to mention in this little box but I recommend booking early.
MurderDolls
The 80s Matchbox B-Line Disaster

Top of page

Murderdolls, London forum (rating:7/10)
Not bad, I've had my rant about why they feel the need to keep people waiting in the cold cold street. I managed to perch myself on a table with a view. I had to resist the urge to chuck something at the The 80s Matchbox B-Line Disaster , damn MTV 2 crap luckily others did that for me. I guess as they where filming that night the Dolls pulled out all the stops and went into freak overload, a good show.

 

© Copyright 2003 Wayne Delderfield