Cathedral / Orange Goblin

Derby Vic

January 29 1999


Well, the stress got ahead on points following the OMS gig, but I think I managed a couple of low blows as well, so I guess that means that at the moment, we're both aware though dazed, but respecting each other.

And it was bad timekeeping on my behalf that meant I missed Terra Firma tonight, which was a bit of a shame really, cos I like the album.

But not a shame due to the surprisingly full turnout present tonight, and the ugly heat that it generates. But it's kind of nice, cos it gives you those romantic thoughts of being able to say "that's what it was like see". You know, how you watch the original film of say the early Sabbath days, or the early punk days, how it all looked. And the knowledge that when you're being honest with yourself, you weren't there. You just wish you were, and try to say you were in order to impress people.

And doing their thing in the confines of the Vic, with people, ie me, straining to see over the tops of other people, ie them, are Orange Goblin. Who I've never listened to before. But you know what's coming, it's Sabbath like riffing, and cries of "lets go fucking crazy". And it sounds good. Especially last song, Magic Carpet, if I remember correctly, which on the strength of that song along, may persuade me to go and invest in one of their albums.

Cathedral I think I last saw supporting Paradise Lost a few years back. Again, never checked out their albums. I guess having been brought up with Sabbath playing in the background, it was like, no-one else can do it. Besides, I also thought that most 70s heavy music, including some Sabbath, was boringly slow and self indulgent. But maybe I'm getting old, maybe I'm just being trendy again, but I'm beginning to appreciate this sort of stuff more. Despite my reservations on the Sabbath reunion, I love the album. Kyuss I can live with, and Queens of the Stone Age is growing on me. And tonight, Cathedral added to that. There's a lot of Sabbath riffery recycled, and some of the songs are too slow for me (the one from the debut album I think, forget the name now). But there's also a fair amount of decent stuff, such as (forgive the incorrectness of the titles) Voodoo Fire, Magic Mountain, Night of the Seagulls, and of course, the one I do know, Hopkins (Witchfinder General). It's played with a fair amount of humour, and even a little charisma, and despite being unfamiliar with the music, it felt good. And even the punks down front were crowdsurfing and stage diving to this obviously a metal-fest. Oooh, the rebellion.

Shit, that's 3 Colours Red, Garbage and "Stoner" bands that I've recently given good reviews to. Must be going soft in me old age.