A day late really this one when you think of it. But it's possibly the start of a hectic few days, this, Dillinger, Alabama, Maiden and then possibly Biohazard. Depending whether I can stay awake all that time.
Medulla Nocte. What a bunch of sell outs. I mean, look at the evidence. Playing in front of people. Getting cheered. Having the same number of people (and maybe even more) there at the end of the set as there was at the start. What more evidence could you possibly need of a sell-out! *.
The start of the set I do a rare thing. No, I didn't dance or exhibit any form of energy, I listened without the earplugs. And suddenly it struck me just why there are never any people at the front of the pit for a Medulla set. It's physically not possible to get there. The sonic waves just hurtle into you. It's like the band have got weapons to fend the people off. They also look and sound noticeably sharper and fresher. I don't know if it's the feeling within the band, or just that this tour means they've had the opportunity to play a few consecutive gigs and are razor sharp as a result. It's obviously only a short set, about 30 minutes, which means that there are some gaping omissions like Inside I'm Dying, but A Conversation Alone (dedicated to Mark, the sound engineer responsible tonight for trying to control those sonic waves) and Twice The Trauma are murderous, and irresistable. And I think I witness my first ever Medulla pit as All Our Friends Are Dead kicks in. I've seen a few Nocte gigs, and I don't think I've ever seen a bad one, but this put previous encounters in the shade.
As the strain's of Judas Priests Breaking The Law ring out it's hard not to suppress a grin. You've all got one Priest or Maiden album, I know you have - don't lie to me. And the Haunted take the stage. There's hair. Hair in Nottingham. Long flowing headbanging hair and it's here tonight for the Haunted. A number of times I've mentioned how there are numerous hardcore bands that take the blueprint for their sound straight out of the Slayer school of thrashing. And here are a metal band that do just that. And it's been said on a few occassions that there are hardcore bands that would be metal bands if they had long hair, and vica versa. And here's an example of the versa vica'd. It's thrash Jim, and just as we know it. The tempos and riffs are pure Slayer, the guitarist on the left side of the stage is definitely playing in an arena not the Old Angel, and the heads that do not bang are being banged. And I've gotten far too many cliches in there. Yep, thrash pure and simple. Not really challenging, but entertaining enough.
* : If you read that and took it seriously, then it appears that at some point you've been in hospital for a triple sarcasm by-pass operation. I take no responsibility for the potential decline in your health as a result of reading this or any other gig review here.