Cybernetic Witch Cult – Troglodithic Trip

This 3-piece doom/stoner band hails from Cornwall, England and we take a look at their upcoming self-published 6 track fuzzy doomy journey into the science fiction / fantasy world of Cybernetic Witch Cult. It features two brand new tracks and four re-imaginings of tracks from the band’s 2015 album ‘Morlock Rock’, and introducing their new drummer.

Sagittarius A* starts with a jagged distorted riff to pull you into the narrative. This is a classic Space Rock song describing a journey through space. The title refers to the location of a super massive black hole, which is just about the most fitting title for a heavy rock song you could imagine. A Well-crafted engaging song with a lot of changes at the right moments to keep it interesting throughout.

Within a beat Astrogalactic Sprites is in full force, in a intense tale of Cosmic origin of Earth’s Fantasy folk. the guitar solo is a particular delight.

A driving bass is leading in Cult Of The Druid, a more laid-back song with some surprising harmonies. The drums are continuing their work in driving the songs forward, especially when the tempo ramps up halfway. The guitar does a good job colouring in the song with effective riffs and licks. With some added sound effects this is a very well produced track from beginning to end.

Forbidden Fruit‘s Psychedelic Shamanistic intro contrasts with the fuzzed out ending of the previous song. The heavy rhythm and guitars lead into forceful vocals relating a world of cold, ancient evils and lurking monsters. The song has a tribal feel with interesting percussion, an ominous chorus and an overall thick sound. The chanting will continue on in your head after the song has ended, a very effective earworm.

The ominous start of Human mixes Prog with Heavy Rock and sets up a song that explores the nature of being a human with too much knowledge of his past and future to know hims place in his reality. Good to see some Golden Era Science Fiction being referenced.

Tyrannosaurus Hex cleanly riffs into a Heavy romp of Futuristic war in which a Chronomage brings Dinosaurs into the future to fight invading Robots. In an album with strong titles I love this one the best, a great find. The story is told well lyrically and the music compliments it very fittingly, with the by-now familiar thundering drums, driving bass, riffing guitar and confident vocals.

I dig what these guys are trying to do, and I was impressed by the quality of the recording and the overall production. Out of the six songs I was least impressed with Human but the other songs will definitely stay in my listening rotation for the foreseeable future. This is band with a coherent vision and sound that should be headed for great things. Can’t wait to see what’s next.

My Rating: 82/100

Follow the band on their website or Facebook. The album is out May the Fourth on Bandcamp, for free.

Cloud Catcher – Trails Of Kozmic Dust

This is this Denver-based Power Trio’s second album, unleashing their fuzzy riffs and sub-earthy jams.

Astral Warlord‘s opening crescendo sets up a feeling of eager anticipation. The listener is clearly promised something heavy.
The quick Deep Purple-inspired opening riff leads in a hearty rocking romp. Celestial Empress evokes 70s Swampy Blues Rock, witch the driving rhythm section edging a wailing guitar on.

Beyond The Electric Sun continues in much of the same vein, with a an added Boston vibe though the excellent bass lines, the screeching guitar solo’s and the hypnotic drumming . The vocals are going in overdrive in short bursts. Dimensional interlude is a pleasant little psychedelic filler.

Visions turns up the riffage again, with some confident vocals and the continuing eager work of the rhythm section. A great track to dance to at 11 pm after an evening of whisky. Title track Trails of Cosmic Dust builds on what came before, the guitar waving its song around the start-stop Acid Rock. Impossible to keep all feet still on this one.

Super Acid Magick lets the effects have a free reign, Space jamming an instrumental with an ending filled with urgency. Closing out the album, Righteous Ruler settles back into no frills Blues Rock, letting the guitar dream the song into different tempo’s and a powerful vocal performance. The band gives their all to complete this journey through their craft.

I enjoyed the album, it’s very clearly an album of a live band trying to capture their sound in the studio, and I’m pleased to report their energy and drive comes through very well on record. Even though some of the songs are a bit rough around the edges the whole listening experience is very enjoyable and I felt myself taken away on their psych spacey jam journey.

My Rating: 80/100

Cloud Catcher‘s Trails Of Kozmic Dust is out now, get it through Totem Cat Records or bandcamp.

Top 15 albums of 2016

Another year, another pleasing look back at the great music released but also the agonizing choices about which songs should make the year’s end list.

Sadly this year we managed to only see 5 of our Top 15 bands live, here’s hoping next year the touring schedules are better again 🙂

15

King Buffalo debuted with Orion, a very cohesive album much more mature than most first. Keeps your attention from beginning to end.

14

Another debut,  Wretch delivers a Traditional Doom powerhouse to announce their emergence at the scene.

13

Their opening slot for Sleep in London this year was definitely the best support we’ve seen this year. Revengeance is a testament to the great place Conan is now.

  12

Black Rainbow’s Stellar Prophecy is one of the Stoner highlights of the year. These guys can play, and theirs is a journey I love to go for a ride on.

11

Youngblood Supercult delivered an absolute masterpiece with High Plains. Their bluesy psych is just what the (witch)doctor ordered.

10

Rise of the Dawncrusher by Slabdragger was years in the making and this massive album crushes the Sludge competition.

9

I might have shaved off my beard years ago but I am still a proud Beardo and Crobot’s Welcome To Fat City was always going to be one of my highlights of the year.

8

Druid has been going from strength to strength and this year’s Odysseus shows them in absolute top form. They are keeping it real and producing awesome music in the process.

7

Psych Stoner masters Wo Fat cement their place at the top of the genre with Midnight Commeth, their finest so far.

6

A new Moss Generator is always something to look out for and Abyssinia showcases the talents of the new lineup perfectly. In my opinion Tony Reed does not always get enough credit for the amazing musician and champion of heavy music he is.

5

Salem’s Bend self titled debut makes no secrets about their influences, and delivers an album that is without fault. Can’t wait to see where these guy go next!

4

Another debut, what a year for new music. Vokonis burst on the scene with Old One Ascending. An album that keeps impressing with every spin. Also the best small venue show I’ve been to this year, hope to see them again soon.

3

Yet another debut, Geezer’s anciously awaited first fulfills their promise, and then some. Accomplished songcrafting and musicianship lifts this album to a modern classic. Hangnail Crisis especially is a magnificent song.

2

It is seldom an album has so many rock songs of this quality as Fatso Jetson managed to fit on Idle Hands. Apart from Earworm of the year winner Royal Family there’s amazing songs like Nervous Eater, Than and Now and 48 Hours. Still going strong after all these years.

1

Traditional Metal has had its up and downs over the years/decades and can sound tired at times. But Spell comes along and unleashed For One and All on the world this year, proving that when it’s done well there really is quite nothing like it. Album opener Madame Psychosis is an amazing track in its own right but sets up our Song of the Year Whipping Sigils, an awe-inspiring tour de force of virtuoso playing, brilliant songwriting and perfect vocals. The rest of the album keeps up the high quality and atmosphere throughout.

Tomorrow’s Dream Top 15 albums of 2016:

1 Spell – For None and All
2 Fatso Jetson – Idle Hands
3 Geezer – Geezer
4 Vokonis – Old One Ascending
5 Salem’s Bend – Salem’s Bend
6 Moss Generator – Abyssinia
7 Wo Fat – Midnight Commeth
8 Druid – Odysseus
9 Crobot – Welcome To Fat City
10 Slabdragger – Rise of the Dawncrusher
11 Youngblood Supercult – High Plains
12 Black Rainbows – Stellar Prophecy
13 Conan – Revengeance
14 Wretch – Wretch
15 King Buffalo – Orion

Song of the Year

The site has been on hiatus for the largest part of the year but we have been listening to music and visiting concerts as usual. Tomorrow we will publish our album best of list of the year but today we want to shine the spotlight on a few songs that we really liked a lot.

Earworm of the year

Fatso Jetson – Royal Family

There’s a lot of brilliant rock music on “Idle Hands” with no shortage of hooks but this song has several of the best musical and melodic hooks of the year. If I play this song only once it keeps echoing and returning to my head for one or two days after, sign of some very insidious musical craftsmanship indeed.

Song of the Year

Spell – Whipping Sigils

The first time I played Spell’s latest album “For None and All” this song made me pay attention as it ticked all my musical boxes. From the energetic intro through the verse’s classic Metal vocals with guitars chasing the melody through to the hauntingly beautiful chorus.

The vocals are very fitting with some nice melodic finds, the guitar work is exemplary, the rhythm is excellent. I need to specifically mention the bass player’s work on this track who brilliantly evokes John Entwistle’s playing style and is an essential part in lifting this song from the very good to the brilliant. Having his running bass lines over those guitars and harmonies is pure bliss.

This was a band I was not aware of until this year but I am now awaiting what they’ll do next with bated breath.

Snowy Dunes live in Amsterdam February 24th 2016

  • Snowy Dunes live Amsterdam The Cave 2016

Ah, The Cave. The last of the metal dive bars in Amsterdam, rich in atmosphere and history. This evening saw a double headline show of Snowy Dunes and Skraeckoedlan, this review will focus on the first. I have gone on record stating my love of this Swedish band before  and I was thrilled to see them live again.

Snowy Dunes was founded in 2013 and released their self-titled debut last year, to critical acclaim. A new album is forthcoming and some buzz has been generated by this month’s advance release of the Atlantis EP.

The band kicked off their set with vocalist Niklas on a bluesy mouth organ on Atlantis, a song that managed to grab the attention of the crowd immediately. The groove got turned up a notch for Watch Out, drawing the public closer to the stage. With the stage set it was time for behemoth Desert Cold, a song so great and intense it electrified the band and crowd alike. An audience recording of the performance can be watched here. At this point in the show it’s clear how much this band has grown in the past weeks of touring, they are clearly at the top of their game tonight. Turn Around is a very fine tune and it was played with a lot of heart. Tranquil Mountain Lake mesmerized the public, with a beguiling rhythm and ominous vocal work. Dawn returned the sound to a Desert vibe, before the show concluded with the preview of a new song from the upcoming album, Testify. I was already looking forward to this release very much and if this sample is anything to go by it’s going to be truly amazing.

I am sure more than a few new fans were made on the evening, it was a truly inspired performance and I feel privileged to have seen them so up close and personal in this form. The tour has almost concluded, I hope we’ll see them back on tour with the new album soon.

Setlist:

Atlantis
Watch Out For Snakes
Desert Cold
Turn Around
Tranquil Mountain Lake
Dawn
Testify

Holyphant – Black Flames review and interview

holyphant

Holyphant are a power trio from Italy. In 2014 they released their first EP, ‘Black Flames’, and I took this for a spin.

From the bluesy, bass-heavy intro with a gentle guitar into the fuzzy main riff the anticipation builds with Ghost Mind, and when as it starts shifts tempo to full gear proper you’re aboard the Holyphant train. With Cold Shiver you can almost see the acid color plates in the background in your mind’s eye, it’s a Psychedelic Bluesrock masterpiece, complete with twin guitar riffage. Centerpiece 8-min behemoth The Circle shifts the vibe a decade or so, with some wonderful riff-heavy power metal that should put a smile on the faces of any true rock fan. Halfway it shifts back to Floyd-meets-Chtulu over some very pleasing guitar tunes. This song is diverse enough that it could have easily lasted another 5 minutes without boring the listener, ending very strong as well. My absolute favourite track of this EP. Titlesong Black Flames cements the heavy psych sound (with some effective cow bells, might need more!), continuing the strong musical identity of this band all through this release. Closing track Heart of the Sun shifts back to a trance-like mood, invoking a desert vibe to gently lead the listener away after the preceding heavy riffage.

I was very impressed by this release and I hope there will be more to come soon from this talented bunch. I managed to get vocalist/guitarist Bale to answer some questions:

Tell me a bit your background, how did you guys meet and form a band?We met at a local show. We were playing with different bands at the time, and shared our passion for 70’s hard rock bands and dark raw sounds. So we decided to start a band with the same mood.

Black Flames was released in 2014, what can you tell me about recording and releasing this?
“Black Flames EP” is , for us, a sort of “business card”. After a little period of songwriting, we went at the Velvet Recording Studios, near Venice. Well, it’s a direct recording, with no overdubs, except for the vocals and the guitar solos. We wanted a raw sound, not digitally processed, to grasp the essence of the band. We recorded it in one day.

 

The Nordic countries have held the candle for rock music through some pretty dark times, lately there’s a lot of interesting new stuff coming from the South. What can you tell us about the environment for bands in your area and in your country.
Great bands come from Northern Europe, but here in Italy the stoner/doom underground is alive and kicking! There are very good bands with great ideas. It’s very difficult to be heard, if you don’t have big money, there are few clubs to gig. But the passion for this kind of music is definitively alive and growing.

 

I read you are writing material for a full album, is there any concrete interest from a label already? We are considering some proposals, we want to choose the best for us

In your new material, will you continue the same themes of exploring the dark side of the human mind, and if so why does this inspire you?
Yes, We will try to speak about the Man and his sensations through metaphors. I think this fits very much with the feelings of our music. But there will be also other stories influenced by our condition, philosophical writings, 70’s horror directors such as Argento, Fulci and Avati, that we love.
 
How would you describe your band/style/music?
If I have to to find some words to describe our sound, Retro/psych/doom rock
 
What are your immediate ambitions?
We wish to play live as much as we can, showing our emotions through the music and getting good vibes from the audience, wherever it will be. And writing good material, of course.
 
Any shows or tour lined up?
We will play at some local gigs here in Italy, but we are planning a little tour abroad for the future. It’s not easy but we believe we can do it.

 

Thanks a lot for the interview Bale, good luck to you and the rest of the band. I hope to hear more from you guys soon!

Beesus – The Rise Of Beesus

The-Rise-Of-Beesus-ArtworkWEB

The Rise of Beesus starts with an ominous swelling distorted guitar sound accompanied by some eerie chants. They get chased away by the heavy riff and drums kick in to start the song proper and introduce the vocals that imbue a new sense of urgency. The chorus has some pleasing White Album-esque harmonies and a pleasingly effective guitar fill. The last quarter of the song has serves as a big outro with some groovy soloing and the vocals gaining even more urgency, bordering on madness.

It flows into 6ft Under Box with a short drum break, continuing the urgency in rhythm and vocals. It is clear Beesus is not taking us on a journey of complacency, the fuzzy guitars shred any kind of comfort and keep you moving towards the intended destination. Did not feel edged on by a song like this since maybe The Police’s disturbing Mother. The album manages to be very engaging and conveying their intended atmosphere so far.

Stonerslam starts with a groove like a 70s Blaxploitation flick’s theme, rolling into fuzzy heavy riffing. The vocal urgency is unfalteringly present, channeling Arthur Brown and the music keeps edging on.

Waltzer continues in much of the same vein, followed by Kusa slowing down into a Doors-like desert rock vibe, giving the listener a short lull. The dreamy vocals gradually get the familiar descent into desperation, helped by counter harmonies and swelling of the music’s intensity. A key track of the album.

Zenza picks up the pace again, and on the face of it is much more cheerful, with an alt.rock intro and vocal delivery, until halfway it sludges into a slow groove and covers the listener with a heavy blanket of Doom.

Sonic Doom/Stoner Youth continues the themes in a straightforward Stoner track, and not for the first time the tone and intensity is changes totally halfway. Especially if you listen to the whole album in sequence in one sitting these shifts and interludes help to keep the attention and to add layers to the soundscape that the band is trying to build.

A power finish paves the way for the frantic stylings of Mata La Verguenza. This song’s halfway shift brings a very pleasing chorus and a killer solo, it feels like this could have been easily a song on its own.

Beesus In Dope turns up the Doom knobs to 11 again, with a short Psych intermezzo, droning towards a cacophonic climax. …And servers as a coda, with a chaotic riff-driven conclusion to the saga.

My overall impression: Beesus’ play on song structures, solid musicianship and novel approach of fuzzing and psyching up 90s alt.rock vibes makes this a very interesting debut indeed. I thoroughly enjoyed this album and will certainly play it many more times to experience this trip.

My Rating: 85/100

You can follow Beesus here (they are touring right now) and get the album here.

Wishbone Ash live in Leiden January 8th 2016

  • Wishbone Ash Live in Leiden 2016

This was a band I was really looking forward to seeing live, I had managed to miss seeing them on several occasions over the years but this time I got lucky. Wishbone Ash was originally formed in 1969, are renowned for their twin guitar sound and their massive influence on bands like Iron Maiden. The current incarnation revolves around founding member Andy Powell.
Gebr. Nobel in Leiden is a pretty new venue, designed for the maximum convenience of the public making it a very pleasant, if a tad sterile, place to go for a concert.

The band was playing the big hall and that filled up early and nicely in anticipation of the start of the concert. There’s a lot of levels in the hall itself allowing a great view for everyone yet also allowing for a sense of intimacy. There was no supporting band so Wishbone Ash entered the stage promptly half an hour after doors open.

They opened the show with a song from 2007 and one from 2014, showcasing the strength of the newer tunes in front of a receptive audience. After this warm-up Andy quipped that they only recently found out the European shows were billed as Argus shows, so they had to quickly re-master the songs. With a beaming smile he led the band into Time Was, and the start of the Argus portion of the show.

Playing Argus in front of an audience like this must feel like a warm bath for the band, the songs are strong and loved and have a lot of room for individual expression. The pleasure in playing the songs did visibly shine from Andy and certainly bass player Bob Skeat as well. The crowd was an fascinating mix of people being lively in dancing and singing along and some that were just motionlessly staring, enraptured by the tunes pouring into the room.

Sometime World has this start of wistfulness rolling into up-tempo frenzy that works very well live, and it was played flawlessly. The King Will Come has always been one of my favourites and the power of the songs was conveyed very well here. I must say at this point that the acoustics of Gebr. Nobel are really impressive, no matter where you are the sound is excellent, but especially at the front where the sound can be lacking, and people be at the mercy of the band’s monitors, the sound was still very layered and clear.

Warrior was introduced with ‘we have been playing this song for 46 years now’ which solicited a wry smile from Andy and cheers from the crowd. I have always felt ambivalent to this song, felt I should have liked it more than I did, and seeing it live for the first time made it click in a way that the recorded versions (even of live shows) did not, and I got a new appreciation for that song.

Throw Down the Sword is not as large a rock classic as it should be, for me it’s near to the perfect classic rock song and having the boys play it with passion was a treat.

Having finished the Argus album the band wasted no time going to much more contemporary themes, linking Heavy Weather to the changing climate and its gruesome effects. With a quick dip into the original Live Dates’ bluesy Baby What Do You want Me To Do it was back to 2014’s Way Down South, still showcasing that trademark double guitar sound that defines the band.

Soulful 80’s song Open Road was the final song of the regular set. The band came back after a 2-minute break to “play just one more song folks, we’re old” as Andy put it.
Crowd favourite early 70’s track Jailbait was the encore, finishing the show as it started, hard rocking and full of energy.

The band proved very accessible after the show as well, spending ample time mingling with the public in a very relaxed way. This is truly a band that can serve as an example to many in their work ethic, musical ability and respect for their public. A great show from a legendary band.

 

Setlist

The Power
Deep Blues
Time Was
Sometime World
Blowing Free
The King Will Come (youtube audience recording)
Leaf and Stream
Warrior
Throw Down the Sword
Heavy Weather
Baby What You Want Me To Do
Way Down South
Open Road
Jailbait (encore)

Top 15 albums of 2015

Tomorrow’s Dream has only been operating as a site for a short while, but we have been listening to a lot of albums all through the year. It’s been a very great year for Rock music.

The 15 albums we chose as best of the year 2015 are a pleasant mix of established names, emerging talent and breakthrough acts. These albums had that certain something that kept us coming back to them again and again. And as the translation of music to the live experience is important to us it helped in the decision making that we saw 10 of the 15 featured bands live this year.

15

clutch

Clutch was true to form in delivering  Psychic Warfare. Their eleventh album is varied and impressive in quality and production. Relased by their own Weathermaker label.

14

goatsnake

Goatsnake‘s Black Age Blues came out of nowhere. After 15 years of absence the boys proved they still had all their chops and knew how to make a classic Doom album. A Southern Lord release.

13

horisont

HorisontOdyssey. These guys are breaking out of the shadow of their illustrious Swedish genre mates and this album sees them maturing into a force to be reckoned with.  Irresistible guitars and organs painting elaborate musical landscapes. Released by Rise Above.

  12

stoned_jesus

Stoned Jesus‘s third album,  The Harvest, showcases the result of their steady progression through constant gigging into their own mature style. The album has some interesting mystical elements and really sounds intense.

11

snowydunes

Snowy Dunes have been flying a bit under the radar perhaps, but their self-titled debut shows that this is a very talented bunch indeed. Desert Cold alone is a song so strong it is worth the price of admission alone. An excellent album by a band that should be going places soon.

10

doctordoom

Doctor Doom‘s This Seed We Have Sown hit me like a brick the first time I heard it. What a debut, this retro-rock extravaganza manages to hold your attention from start to finish without a problem. Released by Ripple.

9

magister_templi

Magister Templi has been making new fans all over Europe with their tour promoting Into Duat , an occult rock album the likes of which you would think would not be made anymore. Think again. The band sounds very polished, and frontman Abraxas Lancelot d’Ruckus weaves his intricate lyrics almost into ceremonies. Released by Cruz Del Sur.

8

ironmaiden

The story of Iron Maiden‘s The Book of Souls should be familiar to all. The quality of their releases remains incredibly high, but this is the first album since their rebirth with Brave New World that a bit of the hunger seems to have been stilled, and most of the songs do sound eerily familiar.  That said, Empire of the Clouds is an awe-inspiring modern classic.

7

graveyard

Graveyard released Innocence & Decadence to an eager audience and the album did not disappoint. The band keeps growing and shifting nuances in their music as they go along. Not a weak track to be seen. A Nuclear Blast release.

6

vintagec

The Vintage CaravanArrival. The second album from these young Icelanders shows their progression in composing compelling songs and their growth as a band.  Especially Innerverse and Eclipsed show a lyrical and musical depth that any 70s Rock band would have been proud to have. Released by Nuclear Blast.

5

withthedead

I was excited when I saw With the Dead‘s artwork. I was pacing the room in anticipation until the album would arrive. And when I finally had it played it three times through whilst my windows vibrated dangerously with the heavy tunes of this Doom supergroup. These veterans show how it’s done. Released by Rise Above (obviously).

4

kadavar

Kadavar‘s Berlin came highly anticipated as well, they had been going from strength to strength touring Europe and the Americas, and this follow-up to Abra Kadavar does not disappoint. They trimmed the edges a bit and played around with some more accessible song structures but that does not detract from their own style and charm that is still oozing from every groove. Released by Nuclear Blast.

3

savannah

SavannahDeep Shades. Now where did these guys come from? They are still at on the cusp of their career but this debut EP is showing tremendous quality and potential. The opener en closer, Deep Shades and Blue Reality are without a doubt the best I have heard this year. Musically the band is incredible, and the eerie vocals complement the music perfectly. This is one of those albums that seems lost in time. Released by StoneFree.

2

blackwulf-300x300

Blackwülf Oblivion Cycle. JdW reviewed this album here and was very impressed, giving the album a rating of 91/100. No doubt there are great things in the future of Blackwülf and I can’t wait to hear and see. A Ripple release.

1

uncleacid

Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats managed to impress me the most of all with Night Creeper. From start to finish their particular brand of Psych grabs you and takes you along on their journey. A masterwork. Released by Rise Above.

That’s the lot for 2015, thanks to all bands and everyone involved in making the albums for a magnificent year in music. Hope we can keep the momentum going into 2016 🙂

Tomorrow’s Dream Top 15 albums of 2015:

1    Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats    –    Night Creeper
2    Blackwülf    –    Oblivion Cycle
3    Savanah     –    Deep Shades
4    Kadavar    –    Berlin
5    With The Dead    –    With The Dead
6    The Vintage Caravan    –    Arrival
7    Graveyard    –    Innocence & Decadence
8    Iron Maiden    –    The Book of Souls
9    Doctor Doom    –    This Seed We Have Sown
10    Magister Templi    –    Into Duat
11    Snowy Dunes    –    Snowy Dunes
12    Stoned Jesus    –    The Harvest
13    Horisont    –    Odyssey
14    Goatsnake    –    Black Age Blues
15    Clutch    –    Psychic Warfare

Motörhead live in Hyde Park July 4th 2014

  • Motörhead live in Hyde Park July 4th 2014

Shocked and saddened by the sudden death of Lemmy today I decided to look back to the last time I saw Motörhead live. London’s Hyde Park was the venue, on just about the hottest day ever recorded in the city. At that time Lemmy’s health had been an issue for a while and this would be their first UK show after a while. When I was waiting for the band to enter the stage I chatted a bit with the people around me, a lot of young people who were there at their first festival and the first time they would see Motörhead. The atmosphere was jubilant, and  the folks around me were looking forward to see their hero in the flesh.

The band came up to a thundering crowd reception, and I could swear Lemmy was a bit touched. He looked somewhat fragile, pretty worn and tired, but he righted his back, smiled at the crowd and assumed his legendary pose under his mike.

Kicking off with Damage Case the oiled machine that was Motörhead grabbed the attention of everyone in earshot and took them along on a rock and roll trip as only they could. The band was really up for it, and the still relatively fresh public (Motörhead started playing around quarter to four) reacted very enthusiastically.  I could feel new converts being made all around me, that first Motörhead show is precious and maybe live-changing 🙂

Halfway the set Doctor Rock turned into an extended drum solo, clearly a moment to give Lemmy a breather. I personally have heard enough extended drum solo’s to last me a lifetime, but it was easy to bear there given the atmosphere, and the circumstances.

Returning with Going to Brazil the band fired up again, and played a few more songs before finishing the set with the epic anthem Ace of Spades. Another brief break led into the only encore, Overkill, and the band bowed out to a rapturous farewell from the crowd. The shouts of “Lemmy” would endure for a bit while the set was being changed.

Even though Lemmy was struggling a bit at times to get his vocals up to the right volume his stage presence  it was a great show, and I will cherish this memory.

Lemmy was truly unique, and the world is a bleaker place without him.

 

Setlist:

Damage Case
Stay Clean
Over the Top
Lost Woman Blues
Doctor Rock
(Drum Solo)
Going to Brazil
Killed by Death
Ace of Spades
Overhill (encore)