Featuring:
Machinehead
Trivium
Dragonforce
Arch Enemy
Shadows Fall
Look at that line up, I mean come on I’m a fan of 4 of the 5 bands. Now I hate the 5th (Trivium) but that was no reason to not go. As soon as this was announced I grabbed tickets for both nights and that was before all 5 were announced.
Sadly I decided to get a lift with Rich to Oval for the gig (London, Saturday night traffic, what was I thinking?) I got in only a little later than planned but this meant I missed both Shadows Fall and Arch Enemy’s sets :-(. Dragonforce more than made up for it though. OK they are cheesy and could be seen as some kind of British Manowar (if a little younger and a bit faster) but I love them. They really enjoy playing live and play to the audience, great sing-a-long tunes a fist pumping anthems class.
After this was Trivium, who I tried to avoid by checking out the merch but there is only so long you can do this so I went and watched them. They’re crap, sound was awful and the shouts of "Machine-Fucking-Head" I think said it all.
And with the departure of those young wannabes Machinehead turned up and showed them how to do it. Obviously as this is a tour package so Machinehead don’t get a full set but since most of the bands are quite good it is good to get a short powerful set from MH. They were pretty much on top form tonight blasting through tracks from BME, TTAOE, TMTC and The Blackening, nothing from Burning Red or Supercharger. Not too much chat from Robb Flynn for once just heads down and on with show. Brilliant.
Photos here.
Later days,
Halo.