SAZ + SHOTGUN LIBIDO + CORE + PARADISE CITY - Doghouse, Dundee 24-05-08
With all profits going to a charitable outlet, this was a local guy gathering together several of the Dundee rock and metal bands to raise funds, so that was a good enough start as it stood. That the actual concert itself was superb, was the icing on the cake.
Sadly I missed the first band, but managed to get there in time to catch up with the mighty SAZ. It's been a long time since we reviewed a SAZ concert here - and they didn't disappoint. With co-lead and harmony vocalist Nicola temporarily away from live duties, lead guitarist Kev had clearly had to make tweaks and changes to parts of certain song arrangements involving a few more lead guitar fills, riffs and breaks here and there, while lead vocalist Amy did a commanding job of making up for the lack of depth of the twin vocal line-up with a storm-force performance that you simply had to admire. Right from the start, as thoer trademark riffing and driving rhythm section pumped out the first song, Amy was striding around the stage in amazonian fashion, her long black hair a blur as she strode mic in hand and delivered this jaw-droping powerhouse of a lead vocal that really took you by the htroat as well as the heart, and refused to let go. With a superb sound from the mixing desk, the band launched into a set that was as on fire as any I've seen recently. While the willowy tall man-in-black Kev was blazing away on guitar stage left as you loked at it, and drummer Ritchie ever the powerhouse foundations of the band, Amy and bassist Marina were taking possession of stage right with a visual performance that had you mesmerised, while Marina's bass runs and pounding undercurrents gave a real depth of strength to the songs. But Amy was spectacular - "Perfect Nightmare" just soared out of the PA like a bird of prey with you in its sights, as the chorus takes off and the verses are sung with venom. Increasingly popular "Destiny" also lifts the roof off, with a section where Amy's vocal goes down to whisper only for it sudenly to erupt in an almost black metal blast which still send shivers down your spine every time she performs, it, the song itself a blaze of soaring vocals and Kev's electrifying high-flying guitar leads and riffs. "Fight For Your Rights" featured Amy doing both the lead and co-lead vocal and she managed to carry it off well, as the dynamics of her vocal really shone through. Overall, though, it was a great performance from a totally unique metal band and all credit to them for this - Nicola may be Electra's oft-termed "spirit of SAZ" but right now, it's still "game on" as the band go from strength to strength.
Shotgun Libido were also a person down - specifically their 2nd guitarist - a move which I think is permanant. Now, I'm not knocking the 2nd guitarist - but I have to say that this was THE best performance from this band that I've seen to date - they simply don't need a 2nd guitarist. Sounding and loking more confident than at any time I've seen them over the past year, the band got it absolutely spot on - the choice of songs, the performance, the power and the energy all came together to show that this band really can deliver the gods. Vocalist Ryan was belting out the lyrics but with a rock solid trademark sleaze-rock styled approach, so that songs such as the anthemic "Rock 'n' Roll Killer" and the addictive "Dirty Little Secret" just sounded superb. All credit to the rhythm section who at last in this band's life, sounded tight and controlled, pounding out the foundations of what made the songs so tight, even the two of them smiling on occasion, almost letting you know that they know that they've really got it right. Finally the guitarist - he played a blinder - red hot leads and riffs just proving absolutely electrifying, as it all comes together and really sounds like a much more professional and long-term band at work. Visually, also, they look the part - nothing overdone but the way the vocalist and guitarist claimn the stage, is something that also keeps you hooked - at one point Ryan heaved the guitarist up onto his shoulders in "Angus" fashion and strode the stage, the guy stil playing these scorching licks from the guitar. This was the first time I've gone away from a Shotgun Libido gig with half the songs still swirling around my head, so I guess that they have finally turned a corner - here's hoping that this proves to be the case!!
Core were simply sensational!! I'm not sure if they were a tad nervous at the "Monsterz of Rock" festival a few weeks back, but they never really seemed to settle down to it. But tonight was a different story. With the Doghouse PA set on stun, and all credit to the guy at the desk who was headbanging away as he mixed it all to perfection, Core just tore the roof off. They must have played for well over 45 minutes, started hot and proceeded to go positively nuclear! For a trio, what separates this band from the rest is that while they (obviously) play as a tight and closely knit unit, you are also aware throughout, of each individual performance too, so that you're hearing this massive dynamic blast of molten metal but at the same time, thinking "listen to that bass work" or be bowled over by the sheer power of the drummer, or be absolutely jaw-droped at this huge sounding guitar hurricane coming over the PA. What they also have is, not only an absolutely corking set of songs, but the arrangement ability to provide those songs with this immense depth of sound and dynamics to make you gasp with delight. So, with an almost endless sea of staccato riffing, driving slabs of metal and huge sounding rhythms, the guitarist steps up to the mic and unlesahes a vocal that really sings but also manages to range from a whisper to a holler without once sounding anything but structured and clear. That they write songs which exploit the use of dynamics to the optimum is a mark ofwhy this band works so well - it's the moments when they briefly drop back that make the ensuying eruption all the more brethtaking, the awesome "Landslide" being a perfect example. Then, to show exactly what this band is capable of delivering, they come up with a song like "Guilty" ("the closest thing we get to a ballad") which starts with ringing guitar chords, lurching heavy drums and deep bass before erupting into this catalcysmic metal holocaust that takes off like a rocket before droping back down and carrying on, the whole thing becoming ever more epic as it continues. But to show that they mean business, you get "Rewind", built around molten slabs of venemous metal as batallions of bass, armies of drums and napalm fire guitar all blast out at you with the effect of guerilla warfare. With the entire audience leaping around like lunatics by the halfway point, the band just climbed ever higher and provided one of rhe best sets they've done to date, illustrating that they are arguably one of rthe brightest hopes on the entire UK rock and metal scene right now, and there's still so much more to come.
The event was headlined by Paradise City, Dundee's tribute band to Guns 'n' Roses. Now, I tend to stray away from reviewing tribute bands since, if they're good, then they're the real deal and you already know what that's gonna be about, and if they're not, then you wonder what the point of them being there in the first place, really is. What I will say is that for the first couple of tracks, the instrumental work was good, but the vocalist was a tad too hihg so that he'd have been just right if it had been an AC/DC tribute band. However, from track 3 onwards, it all started to sound much more akin to the real thing, and, despite one of the more well known tracks sounding a tad slower than it should have been, they turned in a very accomplished set, of which the audience, of course, loved every minute.
So, overall, a highly superb evening, with all three of the original bands turning in sterling performances and the tribute band doing exactly what it says on the tin. Can't argue with that!