Metal Storm logo
Motörhead - Nottingham, England, 16th November 2009


Event: Motörhead: UK Tour
Written by: Baz Anderson
Published: 20.11.2009

Galleries:

Motörhead - Nottingham, England, 16th November 2009 by Baz Anderson (34)


After Motörhead apparently "fell out" with the people of the main rock venue in Nottingham, they decided the city council-owned Royal Concert Hall would provide a suitable alternative. Gathering in the reception area before the show was a strange selection of people. Only Motörhead would be able to draw both extremely young accompanied by parents, and extremely old with greying hair. Upon entering the actual concert hall, everyone who had apparently purchased "standing" tickets were soon to find out that they wouldn't be standing at all with a full auditorium of seats laid out. To make it worse for this report, the venue did not even have a photo-pit. I have never seen a venue so inappropriate for a metal show.



With most people sat down in their designated seat, this being enforced by the suit-wearing security of the venue, Girlschool bounded onto the stage. Girlschool have been touring and playing a lot of festivals over the last few years, but the indoor environment is definitely best for them. However a fully seated audience who'd had all their enthusiasm drained away from them was not best for them. After each song there would be a short applause followed by silence. Unfortunate considering Girlschool are one of the most important female metal bands around, this audience did not fully appreciate the otherwise good show.



You'd either consider The Damned as great or awful on this line-up. The Damned were the very first punk band to ever release an album and single, and the very first punk band to tour the U.S.A.. Since then, the band have dabbled with gothic rock and now appear to prefer the psychedelic rock label. Dave Vanian and Captain Sensible were back to try and coax some excitement out of the audience with their widely diverse set on songs, from energetic, faster punk numbers to old style rock and roll, to even the cheesy, popish "Eloise" which saw the band reach #3 in the U.K. charts 23 years ago. By far the most diverse set of the evening and in some respects the most enjoyable. The band always have a good banter, but again it was the stale audience stuck in their seats that prevented the atmosphere from reaching anything like they deserved.



Motörhead however were the band everyone from young whippersnappers to grey old men were there to see. The audience finally all arose to their feet, although still couldn't move, and greeted Lemmy to the stage like a god. The three-piece didn't give any surprises in their song choices, and didn't make any special effort apart from apparent "best drummer in the world" Mikkey Dee's fierce drum solo. Even though the audience had risen, there could still be no movement because of the seats. This accompanied by he strict policing of the venue by the security made this one of the least metal shows you could imagine. Of course Motörhead were great, but they too sensed the audience were not in fine voice in this venue. Lemmy told the people sat on the balconies to stand up, and then after only a handful did, bellowed an intimidating "stand up!" to which a few more did. The venue killed the spirit of the show, however much Lemmy tried to persuade the audience to liven up. With such a varied audience and so many Motörhead shirts, it wouldn't have mattered what the band played to the die-hards present. Seeing Motörhead again is like visiting church for them. No one gives hard rocking heavy metal as straight and to the point as them, Motörhead are an English treasure that can't be avoided. A bluesy acoustic number, which also saw Mikkey Dee also on guitar while still playing a bass drum and hi-hat up front the stage, hymn-like "Ace Of Spades" and relentless "Overkill" closed the show. These guys probably don't know how to do anything else but rock, it was just the venue that spoiled the spirit on this evening.



A blast from the past from all three bands. A good night out.

Thanks to Ute Kromrey for the accreditation.
Written, and photos by Barry Anderson.







Written on 20.11.2009 by Member of Staff since 2006


Comments

Comments: 11   [ 3 ignored ]   Visited by: 121 users
20.11.2009 - 16:48
Haddonfield
Chucky's Bride
Don't tell me you are one of those who actually believe The Damned were the first punk band please? They were the first official UK punk band but punk already existed in the States way before New Rose hit the airwaves. That apart, cool review and excellent photos. I was meant to see them in Newcastle but couldn't afford it when it came to it. That also was a seated venue, which in so many ways would have pissed me off. I like going crazy at concerts not just standing there like an idiotic moron. Why? Oh, why, organize metal gigs in such venues?
----


"Seasons don't fear the reaper. Nor do the wind, the sun and the rain (we can be like they are)."
Loading...
20.11.2009 - 16:51
Baz Anderson

Written by Haddonfield on 20.11.2009 at 16:48

Don't tell me you are one of those who actually believe The Damned were the first punk band please? They were the first official UK punk band but punk already existed in the States way before New Rose hit the airwaves. That apart, cool review and excellent photos. I was meant to see them in Newcastle but couldn't afford it when it came to it. That also was a seated venue, which in so many ways would have pissed me off. I like going crazy at concerts not just standing there like an idiotic moron. Why? Oh, why, organize metal gigs in such venues?

Well, I did write "first punk band to ever release an album and single, and the very first punk band to tour the U.S.A.".
That doesn't mean "first punk band ever...".

But yeh, thanks.
Loading...
20.11.2009 - 17:05
Haddonfield
Chucky's Bride
Written by Baz Anderson on 20.11.2009 at 16:51

Written by Haddonfield on 20.11.2009 at 16:48

Don't tell me you are one of those who actually believe The Damned were the first punk band please? They were the first official UK punk band but punk already existed in the States way before New Rose hit the airwaves. That apart, cool review and excellent photos. I was meant to see them in Newcastle but couldn't afford it when it came to it. That also was a seated venue, which in so many ways would have pissed me off. I like going crazy at concerts not just standing there like an idiotic moron. Why? Oh, why, organize metal gigs in such venues?

Well, I did write "first punk band to ever release an album and single, and the very first punk band to tour the U.S.A.".
That doesn't mean "first punk band ever...".

But yeh, thanks.


The single "New Rose" was released on the 22 October 1976, the album Damned Damned Damned on the 18/02/1977.

The album New York Dolls on the 27/07/1973, the Raw Power by Iggy Pop and the Stooges in June 1973, The Dictators's Go Girl Crazy in March 1975, the album Blondie in December 1976 and for all those who say these bands aren't 100% punk, the debut album Ramones by the Ramones 23/04/1976 and their first single "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend" was also released in 1976.

Sorry Baz, I'm not having a dig at you, the Damned being the first punk band to release material is something that is spoon through the British media and books on the punk mouvement. All it is, is the British once again trying to claim a musical genre as their own creation. I just thought I'd set it right. This may not have been the place for it, so again sorry.
----


"Seasons don't fear the reaper. Nor do the wind, the sun and the rain (we can be like they are)."
Loading...
20.11.2009 - 21:35
Kingface

Interesting to read this review. Reading about an all-seated Metal gig (I never thought I'd say that!) is very funny on the outside but if I was actually there I honestly don't know if I could get enough enjoyment out of the evening to justify the money and effort I would've had to have made for such a gig.
Loading...
20.11.2009 - 23:30
Baz Anderson

Written by Irritable Ted on 20.11.2009 at 22:58

Wonder why Lemmy has fallen out with Rock City? That would have been the perfect venue.

Apparently they "ripped them off" last time they played there.
Loading...
20.11.2009 - 23:42
Baz Anderson

Written by Irritable Ted on 20.11.2009 at 23:38

I know of the family who own Rock City and I wouldn't mess with them. Lemmy probably shat himself and is too scared to go back.

Haha why? What are they supposed to be like?
Loading...
22.11.2009 - 18:27
BitterCOld
The Ancient One
Is it the Piranha Brothers?

and i agree with Haddonfield in regards to the Damned. i'd point to The Ramones as well.
----
get the fuck off my lawn.

Beer Bug Virus Spotify Playlist crafted by Nikarg and I. Feel free to tune in and add some pertinent metal tunes!
Loading...
24.11.2009 - 01:58
Raiden
Down Under Staff
I couldn't think of anything more of a mood-killer than seating for the whole audience. When big names such as Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and Slayer a couple of times toured Australia they'd play in venues with seating all around a stage at the back and a standing area in the middle. So at least you had a choice.

I've heard stories of some metal band (Metallica maybe?) playing in a similar venue and there being riots because people weren't able to move!
----
"Scream for me Melbourne!!!!"
- Bruce Dickinson

"I don't see any god up here"
- Yuri Gagarin (while in orbit, 1961)
Loading...
25.11.2009 - 20:13
Bad English
Tage Westerlund
Siting in metal concert weird, but anybody of you eve rherad HeadGirl girlschool and Motorhead project in 80's those bands touring together is much better how Saxon vs Sliknot for example, even Girlcshool shood not be a warm up band, they can be even hesadliners
----
Life is to short for LOVE, there is many great things to do online !!!

Stormtroopers of Death - ''Speak English or Die''
apos;'
[image]
I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
Loading...
29.11.2009 - 03:48
Baz Anderson

I just remembered - Motörhead actually covered a Twisted Sister song. They did "Shoot 'Em Down", which was nice.
Loading...
03.12.2009 - 02:21
theumpteenthtime

Lemmy Has Cocoa Puffs Removed from Face, Fans React Violently

LONDON?Earlier this week, singer for the metal group, Motorhead, Lemmy Kilmister, went under the knife to have the infamous warts that many of his longtime fans held dear to their ...

READ MORE at theumpteenthtimes.com/?p=1025

"Music News That's Fit to Fake"
Loading...

Hits total: 8035 | This month: 8