Mind Control...
This morning I had the immeasurable pleasure of being woken by the catastrophic cacophony of a group of fucking cats in my back yard. Rarely has such a beautiful sound graced the airwaves and entered the ears. Not even that time I got drunk at band practice and sang along in full booming voice. I love cats at the best of times. I'm also tremendously good at bending the truth. It can only be a deep and lasting affection, since I stopped short of purchasing a toy gun the other day. Those things hurt...
Speaking of almighty caterwauling, Saturday night's WAR ENSEMBLE was, in a word, awesome! The performances by some of our most talented musicians would have left jaws on the ground if they weren't attached to bobbing and swinging heads. Although it must be noted (before I go on) that there were quite a few so-called fans very conspicuous in their absence, I'll refrain from ranting about the sorry state of affairs when it comes to supporting that which is worthy of support. Nevertheless, the venue was nice and full and those souls who braved the cold were treated to one of the most spectacular tribute shows, if not THE best one, I have ever had the privilege of experiencing.
Now some may say that a band with the far reaching influence and iconic status enjoyed by SLAYER the world over should be left well alone and that any attempt to emulate their music is ill advised. I feel that way about The Cure, but I've been proven right over and over again. All things considered, this just made the already mammoth task of filling the biggest shoes in metal all the more daunting. And the lads pulled it off with no small degree of aplomb, not to mention style, intensity, accuracy and a million fucking tons of honest heart! Watching mates of mine rise to the occasion and rip through such "untouchable" classics with such conviction and ferocity not only got my head banging, my fists pumping and my feet stomping, but left me with an incredible feeling of pride and a very sore throat the next day. Not what you're thinking...
Special mention has to go out to Jacques Hugo, Marcus van der Tuin and Art Pereira, not only for organising such a great tribute to Jeff Hanneman's legacy, but for the exceptional level of their musicianship, the former two impressing with their fretboard wizardry and the latter living up to the almost impossible expectations of delivering a drumming performance of such magnitude. Equally impressive were the insane virtuoso performances by Chris Hall and Ian Watson, shredding like bastards - a class act all of them.
As challenging as the guitaring in any SLAYER song is, it is always going to be the distinct aggression and power of Tom Araya's vocals and the sheer bombast of both Lombardo and Bostaph (as the two long serving drummers) that will draw the most comparative judgement. Adam van der Riet, out of vocal retirement for this show, prowled and howled like a man possessed! And Mark Olwage, not just looking the part, pulled off the signature screaming like he was born for the role!
Which brings me to the tub thumpers. Adrian Langeveldt is no slouch behind a kit. For anyone lucky enough to have been to any of his drum clinics, or to have seen him go all Muppet Monster live, will know exactly what I mean. But SLAYER is on another level, perhaps not in the modern ultra-extreme technical sense, but very few acts can boast such sustained intensity, and he delivered! If SLAYER carry on with their current silly personnel issues, I see a future in which I can call up for back stage passes... Biggest congratulations, however, I am reserving for Art Pereira, a guy I don't even know. He pounded the living shit out of the kit and the long laundry list of classics, probably half killing himself in the process. It was as if I was in the presence of Lombardo himself. And no higher praise can be given, so I'll leave it at that.
All in all, it has to rate as one of the most enjoyable live experiences I've had. Perhaps it was in part due to the long day of braaing and drinking, but I'd say mostly for the great vibe, the astounding performances, Heineken, and the awesome friends with whom I got to share this experience. Thank you one and all.
Also DrHellCuz was here visiting. It was fun, but now I'm brokened. I think I'll have an early one tonight...
NGDG: The World's End released in London last month. We get it in November. I'd say this feels like the 80s all over again if it weren't for the fact that even Lebanon gets to see it before us.
Spread The Love. From The Lacerated Sky.
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