the ancient metaller
09-20-2004, 10:25 AM
Bloody Hell!
I don't get out much. Between helping 'the boss' raise 5 kids and working 7 days a week in real estate I don't have much time to myself. I've only been to a few gigs in the last few years, Ozzy in 1997, and Judas Priest in 2000, so NO WAY was I going to miss Alchemist at the Trocadero on Saturady night!
I rocked up early, there was only a handful of people in the room. The first band up was Lynchmada, a local band I think, and sort of a speed/thrash metal act. Very tight band, but the mix drowned out the vocals, even standing right back at the sound desk where it should be the best sound in the room. Probably not the sort of music I'd go out and buy, but still well worth a listen, and the crowd soon started to gather once the live music began, but no way it was going to be a full house. Apparently there was a football game or something on somewhere....
Lynchmada finished their set, and the task of switching over the gear for the second band began. Even the 'piped' music was an old favourite, Machine Head's 'Burn My Eyes' album, so I felt right at home! The second band was Jerk, and as they were setting up I spotted this long-haried bloke in a 'Metal for The Brain' T shirt just as he spotted me. He said 'Glen?' the same instant I said 'Roy?' and I'd finally found the member of the band I'd been hoping to meet!
Roy took me out the back and introduced me to the rest of the band, and we sat and had a beer and discussed the tour, Europe, and metal in general until Jerk was ready to start. We headed out to the stage area and watched this energetic Marilyn Manson style band go through their paces. Once again a tight band, and a good show, but by the time Roy left to sort out his guitars I was really looking forward to seeing a band who didn't consider simple chord progressions to be 'guitar solos'.
Alchemist hit the stage with a vengeance, and I was almost right up the front to watch it first hand. Talk about a wall of pure sound! The songs were slick, the live presentation perfect, and the still-growing audience loved every minute of it. Don't ask me for a set list, I heard so much material off all five albums I'd have no chance of remembering it all. I don't even know how long they played for, but it seemed like forever, and as the music got louder and faster the crowd down the front got wilder and wilder.
In the end I had to back up a bit, as a couple of the blokes had obviously had more than their share of the booze, and I was at risk of being flattened by their 'dancing' with one another. I moved back a few rows of people, and watched the band from halfway down the floor.
The show finally finished, and half deafened by my closeness to the speakers, I waited for the right moment to thank Roy and Adam for a great show, and wished them well in England and Europe. By the time I got back to the car it was well after 1am, and I was even beaten home by my partying children!
WHAT AN AWESOME NIGHT!
Thanks Roy, Adam, Rod and John, and I hope it all goes really well for you overseas... Those bloody Poms aren't going to know what hit them!
Peace, Glen.
I don't get out much. Between helping 'the boss' raise 5 kids and working 7 days a week in real estate I don't have much time to myself. I've only been to a few gigs in the last few years, Ozzy in 1997, and Judas Priest in 2000, so NO WAY was I going to miss Alchemist at the Trocadero on Saturady night!
I rocked up early, there was only a handful of people in the room. The first band up was Lynchmada, a local band I think, and sort of a speed/thrash metal act. Very tight band, but the mix drowned out the vocals, even standing right back at the sound desk where it should be the best sound in the room. Probably not the sort of music I'd go out and buy, but still well worth a listen, and the crowd soon started to gather once the live music began, but no way it was going to be a full house. Apparently there was a football game or something on somewhere....
Lynchmada finished their set, and the task of switching over the gear for the second band began. Even the 'piped' music was an old favourite, Machine Head's 'Burn My Eyes' album, so I felt right at home! The second band was Jerk, and as they were setting up I spotted this long-haried bloke in a 'Metal for The Brain' T shirt just as he spotted me. He said 'Glen?' the same instant I said 'Roy?' and I'd finally found the member of the band I'd been hoping to meet!
Roy took me out the back and introduced me to the rest of the band, and we sat and had a beer and discussed the tour, Europe, and metal in general until Jerk was ready to start. We headed out to the stage area and watched this energetic Marilyn Manson style band go through their paces. Once again a tight band, and a good show, but by the time Roy left to sort out his guitars I was really looking forward to seeing a band who didn't consider simple chord progressions to be 'guitar solos'.
Alchemist hit the stage with a vengeance, and I was almost right up the front to watch it first hand. Talk about a wall of pure sound! The songs were slick, the live presentation perfect, and the still-growing audience loved every minute of it. Don't ask me for a set list, I heard so much material off all five albums I'd have no chance of remembering it all. I don't even know how long they played for, but it seemed like forever, and as the music got louder and faster the crowd down the front got wilder and wilder.
In the end I had to back up a bit, as a couple of the blokes had obviously had more than their share of the booze, and I was at risk of being flattened by their 'dancing' with one another. I moved back a few rows of people, and watched the band from halfway down the floor.
The show finally finished, and half deafened by my closeness to the speakers, I waited for the right moment to thank Roy and Adam for a great show, and wished them well in England and Europe. By the time I got back to the car it was well after 1am, and I was even beaten home by my partying children!
WHAT AN AWESOME NIGHT!
Thanks Roy, Adam, Rod and John, and I hope it all goes really well for you overseas... Those bloody Poms aren't going to know what hit them!
Peace, Glen.