A Saturday night in Birmingham, a city still in mourning after losing one of its most famous and colourful sons. There are dozens of Ozzy and Sabbath t-shirts on show in among the black and red of the hardcore Wednesday 13 fans, there’s a sombre atmosphere in the queue as we wait for doors to open, Ozzy’s death has touched everyone.
As we mourn the passing of The Prince Of Darkness, we’re here tonight to see the Duke of Spook and his brand of horror punk. Support is from fellow Americans, The Nocturnal Affair and Brit horror emo rockers Fearless Vampire Killers.
We’d seen The Nocturnal Affair (8) last year supporting Kris Barras and we loved their dark alt rock style. Tonight was no different, a drum solo announces the bands arrival and front man Brendan Shane stands atop the front of stage risers to take in the packed room.
There’s an intensity to this band, the dark melancholic sounds of their songs such as Down and A Thousand Ways To Die suit the hot oppressive atmosphere. Shane’s vocals powerful vocals cut through the oppressiveness, penetrating through to the back of the room.
There are obvious influences from the likes of Depeche Mode at their darkest, Gary Numan and Trent Reznor, but they add a harder edge to it all, making it just that little bit heavier, although they do show that they have a light side when they perform a cover of the Haddaway song What Is Love. Much as they did in Wolverhampton last year, the leather clad Vegas rockers kicked off the evening in a suitably dark way.
FVK (7), are a name we’ve seen bandied around for a while now, but they are one of those bands that seems to have trouble gaining any sort of traction with periods of hiatus. This later iteration of the band seems to have dropped the dark emo look and are all kitted out in paramilitary style uniforms. There are plenty of fans tonight eager to lap up what the band has to offer and they aren’t disappointed.
FVK (7), are a name we’ve seen bandied around for a while now, but they are one of those bands that seems to have trouble gaining any sort of traction with periods of hiatus. This later iteration of the band seems to have dropped the dark emo look and are all kitted out in paramilitary style uniforms. There are plenty of fans tonight eager to lap up what the band has to offer and they aren’t disappointed.
They have new material in the form of latest single Time Misunderstood, a classic angst ridden rock anthem that the band are hoping will jump start their much interrupted career. It’s their first new music for a while and the loyal fans love it. They do what they do well, but it’s never gonna set the world alight. Has the emo ship sailed? Or are they at the forefront of a resurgence? Only time will tell.
So to the main event. This is headlined as the Summer Blood Storm tour, The Duke of Spook Rises Again! And with a new album out the shock rocker is well and truly back.
Look What The Bats Dragged In starts a night of blood curdling horror punk. The former Murderdolls frontman has carved out his own niche in the rock world and the diminutive frontman is a giant on stage as he performs his theatrics to the sold out room. His body of work is surprisingly large and extensive so he’s able to dig out fan favourites from his long career. Taking songs from the 2005 album Transylvania 90210 right up to this years release Mid Death Crisis.
So to the main event. This is headlined as the Summer Blood Storm tour, The Duke of Spook Rises Again! And with a new album out the shock rocker is well and truly back.
Look What The Bats Dragged In starts a night of blood curdling horror punk. The former Murderdolls frontman has carved out his own niche in the rock world and the diminutive frontman is a giant on stage as he performs his theatrics to the sold out room. His body of work is surprisingly large and extensive so he’s able to dig out fan favourites from his long career. Taking songs from the 2005 album Transylvania 90210 right up to this years release Mid Death Crisis.
I have to admit, we’re late to the party when it comes to Wednesday 13 (10) having only really listened to them when they played Wolverhampton last year but we absolutely love them (much to my son’s amusement as he kept trying to get me to listen to them all those years ago!)
It’s a fast paced relentless gig, only really pausing for Wednesday 13 to pay tribute to Ozzy and also his old friend Joey Jordison who died on this day 4 years ago. Another reminder that life is fragile and finite, but music is forever. The gig continues, we get a Murderdolls song Die My Bride followed by a drum solo as W13 probably needs to take on board some oxygen! He is non-stop! They come back for another segment of five songs culminating in I Walked With A Zombie from that debut album, before the final encore of two songs, Bad Things and of course his unofficial anthem I Love To Say Fuck
Many have tried the shock horror genre down the years but Wednesday 13 has made it his own with his mix of nu-metal, punk, shock rock and his huge stage presence. And long may he continue!
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