Backseat Lovers - Monday 16th May - Electric, Brixton

Brief review:  Grrr... Message to self: check the calendar before promising to take your daughter to the new band she likes and booking tickets. Hence I'm here at a new venue for me in South London instead of at the O2 where I had a decent ticket for Whitesnake, Europe and Foreigner.

Still, this was OK. Young long-haired musicians playing loud 70's style rock music - good for them. I would guess Deep Purple are one of their influences. I predictably knew none of it, but it was good. In the gap between the support and main act, I pledged to look up ticket options for Whitesnake in Birmingham next week. And purchased the last of the signed event posters from the merch desk. Who knows, could be worth something if the band continue their upwards rise.

Venue and View:  Standing on raised section near the bar on the left. Decent view, without the scrum on the floor.

Setlist
????

Halestorm - Friday 28th September - Brixton Academy

A sold our Brixton Academy for Halestorm - a band I'd seen once before and enjoyed at a metal awards show a few years back. I only recognised one song, but enjoyed the evening. It's not often I go to see a band where "official tour tattoos" are available. And no, I wasn't tempted!

Setlist
Vicious
Love Bites (So Do I)
Skulls
I Am the Fire
Do Not Disturb
Amen
Mz. Hyde
Drum Solo (Included Why Don't You Get A Job?)
Freak Like Me
Uncomfortable
Takes My Life
Black Vultures
Killing Ourselves to Live
+
The Silence
I Miss the Misery
Here's to Us

Judas Priest - Tuesday 1st December - Brixton Academy

Breaking The What!?

Down to Brixton for the Metal Gods and a thorough test for my new acoustic earplugs!

The evening starts with Michael Schenker's latest reincarnation - the Temple of Rock. Featuring a couple of ex-Scorpions on the rhythm section and Doogie White (Rainbow) on vocals, they romped through some popular material including the Scorpions classic "Rock You Like A Hurricane" which I'm pretty certain Michael didn't play on when he was in the band!

Mr Schenker certainly cut a slightly odd figure in his bobble hat and shuffling around the stage looking a man much older than his years, Still, it's his playing that we'd come in early to see and that was good.

After a brief interval, "The Priest" were back in town, Rob Halford resplendent in an array of black cloaks, jackets and gowns. Plus the slightly weird black gloves of course. As a frontman, he spends surprisingly little time at the front of the stage. The standard favourites were in the set of course, but to me the new material merged into one to a large extent. His vocals seemed good and I enjoyed the show (although was slightly closer to the mosh-pit than intended!), but not as much as on previous occasions. Maybe the earplugs affected things too much. In our group of 6 though, I was in a minority as the rest thought it a belter.

Setlist (Michael Schenker's Temple of Rock)
Doctor Doctor
Live and Let Live
Victim of Illusion 
Vigilante Man
Lord of the Lost and Lonely
Rock You Like A Hurricane 
Rock Bottom 

Setlist (Judas Priest)
Dragonaut
Metal Gods
Desert Plains
Victim of Changes
Halls of Valhalla
The Rage
Turbo Lover
Redeemer of Souls
Beyond the Realms of Death
Screaming for Vengeance
Breaking The Law
Hell Bent for Leather
+
Electric Eye
You've Got Another Thing Comin'
+
Painkiller
Living After Midnight

Billy Idol - Thursday 31st July - Brixton Academy

2.5 years on from seeing Mr William Broad at the same venue and tonight's show was just as much fun. Luckily his new album is a Greatest Hits compilation (again!), so that's pretty much what the crowd wanted and what they got.

In fact, bar a couple of numbers, check out the 2006 review and you'll have this one covered too. Good stuff!

Setlist (Richard Thinks!) Cradle Of Love Dancing With Myself Flesh For Fantasy White Wedding John Wayne New Future Weapon To Be A Lover Sweet Sixteen World Coming Down Eyes Without A Face Ready Steady Go Blue Highway LA Woman Rebel Yell + Hot In The City Speed Mony Mony