Marilyn Manson Live Review Wolverhampton 21/11/2015

Marilyn Manson, the king of Gothic Rock and Shock Rock was about to perform at the small venue of the Wolverhampton Civic Hall. As soon as I heard the announcement of his shows I was straight on it to grab myself a ticket to this must see show.

It was a freezing cold night but that didn't stop all 3000 fans coming out decked in their leather and PVC. Their platform goth boots and of course the face paint!

By Half seven the venue was already packed out and waiting for the support band to make it on to the stage. Krokodil. That was the support band, I had never heard of them and only briefly played their music on YouTube before the show. In all honesty I didn't really enjoy their music on audio but... Live they were brilliant! I love it when a band shock you when they play live. I was prepared for a lot of screaming and shit music but to be fair to the band they absolutely rocked it live. Maybe its the traces of whisky still in me but I enjoyed their performance.

Leaving the stage at half past eight the atmosphere began to rev up with anticipation for Marilyn to Arrive. What made us most excited was when they tested out the smoke machines at the front of the stage. At around nine the screams started and the shouts of Manson rang out in the Civic Hall.

But finally at 21:15 the lights when black and the smoke started up and filled the room with the hazy glow of red lights. The sound the crowd made as Twiggy reached the stage ahead of Marilyn was immense.

Kicking off the set list with Deep Six the crowd came alive and were jumping, clapping and singing along with the newest single release. The music was phenomenal the sound they created in such a tiny place blew me away it had to be one of the best sounding concerts I had ever been too.

Next came Disposable Teens! A huge hit with all the fans a classic song. The crowd packed rails to wall were jumping now and showing Manson what his songs mean to each of us. Mobscene followed another awesome sounding track live, Marilyn making the songs come alive with his performance and vocals that send shivers down your spine.

No Reflection finished off the four song opening and what a opening it was it just set the tone for the rest of the show. Cupid Carries and Gun was next on the set list before Sweet Dreams, a slow but dark song Manson made his own. He came out on stage on giant crutches before serenading us all. The balance between his screams and melodic tones were incredible and I can still remember the song live now.

Flowing through the set list with Angel With Scabbed Wings, Tourniquet and Irresponsible Hate Anthem Marilyn and the band put on quite the live performance.

Then we had reached the point of the gig when the show was beginning to come to an end. Dope Show started off the long encore ahead. The song from his first album had the fists pumping and the Metal horns in the air.

Next Antichrist Superstar was a sight to behold. Marilyn Manson on a high podium with a burning bible in his hand reading a verse from John the Baptist, truly artistic.

The penultimate song was my favourites can you guess? The Beautiful People. One of Manson's classic and most popular songs. I don't think there was a fan in the room who wasn't singing along to one of the most loved songs of the Shock Rock legend.

Finishing the show with Coma White Manson left the stage almost unrecognizable. Without an encore. He definitely knows how to leave the fans wanting more and more. I could of happily stood and listened to him perform for another two hours.

Well that is my review of that nights events and I think Marilyn Manson truly deserves all the praise he gets for his music because he isn't afraid to produce songs with controversial meaning and backlash and he truly knows what his fans want from him and his music. And for that I applaud him for being a fantastic artist and Rock Legend.

Lissy.C

Motley Crue and Alice Cooper Live Review Birmingham 04/11/2015 Part 2

Back to the well documented events of the last ever Motley Crue gig in Birmingham. Alice Cooper had just left the stage when the lights went back up and everyone began to buzz about the upcoming set. After watching Alice Cooper's set I knew Motley Crue were going to have to pull something out of the bag to top what I had just seen.

The lights went back down at around 20:55 just the right time for Motley Crue to hit the stage and perform their two hour set. The set started off with a rendition of the Sound Of Music classic 'So Long Farewell which was fitting as this is their last every tour.

The screams and cheers that were ringing around the venue were incredible the atmosphere was electric that night and you could feel everything just turn up a few notches. Then Motley Crue hit the stage with a bang of fireworks and shoots of fire before playing Girls Girls Girls. From Nikki Sixx running onto the stage decked out in his war effect clothing and face paint to Mick Mars playing that first chord I knew the set was one I was never going to forget,

Screaming loudly and singing along to the iconic song all the women began to go crazy. I don't know what it is that Motley Crue have but the women love them and their music, Next came Wild Side and Primal Scream, these guys were bringing the power from the start. The pyrotechnics were awesome the stage was bright and you could easily see Vince Neil still moving about the stage even though over the years he has become a little slower but I didn't care he still sounded great with the band.

Same ol' Situation played next getting the whole crowd singing and clapping along in the break down the night was going fantastic, they couldn't of asked for a better welcome. Don't Go Away mad was next followed closely by Smokin' In The Boys Room Cover another song the crowd was singing and clapping along too.

Next it began to get a little punk with Looks That Kill, Mutherfucker Of The Year and of course the UK favourite Anarchy In The UK originally created by the much loved British Punk band Sex Pistols. The crowd came alive with that one I don't think the Line, "I want to be Anarchy" has ever been sung louder. Well what can I say us Midlanders can get a little rowdy when it comes to Anarchy.

Shout At The Devil and Louder Than Hell followed up in the set list which kept the party going and the crowd pumped. Who can't sing along to Shout At The Devil really?

The best event of the night by far happened next, yes it was Tommy Lee's epic drum solo on his rolling roller coaster drum kit! I have never seen anything like it in all my life. The stamina and individuality of that drummer is incredible. Playing along to match loved tracks like Black Sabbath Paranoid and Modern rave music and pop music such as Uptown Funk Tommy Lee bought the power! But my favourite part was the ending when he rolled around for the twentieth time and played out Beastie Boys Sabotage, on of my all time favourite track to rock out too.

Mick Mars and the rest of Crue came back to the stage then for the guitar solo which lead into the newest single Saint's Of Los Angeles released in 2008. The song was a bit of a foreshadowing to this final tour I feel, it's as if they new it was coming at some point.

Live Wire, Dr Feelgood and Kick-start My Heart played out the end of what was one of the best live set list's I have ever heard or witnessed. When they took their final bow and stood for applause the crowd erupted not one person was seated or not clapping this band.

Leaving the stage shouts for CRUE! Erupted. After five minutes of persistence the band re-entered the venue and made their way into the centre of the crowd onto a podium which was set up with Tommy Lee's baby grand white piano, Nikki and Mick's guitars and Vince's microphone, it was time for Home Sweet Home.

As The spot lights came down and the piano rung out the crowd began to sing the first verse of the song which shock the band but made them smile and appreciate what was before them. 16,000 dedicated Crue fans singing one of their most heart felt songs. It was truly a night to remember.

Well I am going to finish that little story there I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it and I hope the events rang as true for you if you saw these guys on their last ever tour too.

Thank you for reading and I will be updating soon with the review of Tracer at the Slade Rooms Wolverhampton.

Lissy.C

Motley Crue and Alice Cooper Live Review Birmingham 4/11/2015 Part 1

Finally the much awaited 'All Bad Things Must Come To An End' Tour hit Birmingham, Motley Crue were here! And with them they bought Alice Cooper. The anticipation of the final ever Motley Crue show was huge, I can't believe I will never see this band again live.

Hitting up the NEC once more, the venue was packed! Everyone was out in their Motley Crue esque outfits including one guy in a cowboy hat...

Getting into the venue just before eight Alice Cooper had already hit the stage! Making a mad dash to the merchandise and the bar I made it into the standing area to a electric atmosphere. What also shocked me was Tommy lee's Roller coaster Drum Kit that took up half the arena, it was huge!

Missing the first Alice Cooper song 'The Black Widow' I was a little disappointed but the rest of the set sure made up for it cause he was phenomenal. Continuing his show with 'No More Mr Nice Guy', 'Under My Wheels' and 'I'm 18' Cooper bought the power. Also his Giant Snake.

No take that first thought out of your head, it was an actual snake (animal). The theatrics Alice Cooper bought out in each song was amazing and the live sound incredible. What I loved about his backing band was the lead guitarist was a woman and she rocked the stage. She is my new hero!

Moving through the set list of 'Billion Dollar babies' and my favourite 'Poison' and 'Dirty Diamonds' Cooper played 'Go To Hell' and 'Feed My Frankenstein'. I must admit 'Feed My Frankenstein' maybe one of the best live tracks I have have seen or heard ever. The story to the song on stage was phenomenal. Cooper walked out in a giant white medical coat covered in blood bringing with him a giant electric table which he was then strapped too while wearing a gas mask. Smoke consumed the stage before the fireworks went off and Cooper disappeared. He then came back onto the stage as a twelve foot giant Alice Cooper Frankenstein! The cheers and claps that earn't was amazing.

After that the guillotine came out and it was time for Alice Cooper to die on stage. The Ballad Of Dwight Fry had him put in a straight Jacket then Killer and I love The Dead finished him off for execution.

After his decapitation the reincarnated Alice Cooper came back to perform the wonderful 'Schools Out'! Every one in the crowd sang along with this song and what I loved most was how Alice Cooper incorporated in Pink Floyd's 'Another Brick In The Wall' at the end. As the crowd sung the final line 'All in all you're just another brick in the wall' Alice Cooper's face dropped in shock, he couldn't believe the sheer power and noise behind the crowd singing that much loved British song so loudly.

 I'm going to have to do this post in two parts because the amount I have written will be too much for one post on its own. I hope you have enjoyed reliving this show with me because I sure have and I will be posting the second part shortly. Thank you for reading...

Lissy.C

Glenn Hughes and Doug Aldrich Live Review Robin 2 Bilston October 2015

Back to the good old 700 person capacity Rock Club in Bilston, the Robin 2. It is still one of my favourite venues to go to to see a live band. And what a pair of acts we had that night, Glenn Hughes coming back to the place he started his career all the way back in the days before Deep Purple, yes it's  been that long.

I knew straight away it was going to be a full house when we tried to get a car parking space but to no avail there wasn't any. Also in the tiny side street beside the Venue Glenn Hughes' tour bus practically took up the whole road! Got to live in style right?

Well as soon as we ditched the car and got into the venue we waited for the support band to start. JJNichols the band was called, and they were all the way from Mississippi USA. And they were fantastic! They had a fusion of old rock and blues which was right up my street and they looked great, also played great guitars!

As they made their way through a short set list the crowd began to liven up and interact with the band, which I love to see. Even though nobody knew any of the bands songs we still clapped along and shouted out in the right places. But as a ending the band played Mississippi Queen by Mountain which jogged all the memories in the room, even I remembered the song and it was created well before I was born.

Once the band said good and left the stage it was time for Glenn Hughes and Doug Aldrich to take the stage, kicking off their set list with 'Stormbringer' by Deep purple. And the night just got better...

2. Orion

3.Way Back to the Bone (Trapeze song)

4.First Step of Love (Hughes/Thrall song)

5.Touch My Life (Trapeze song)

6. Sail Away (Deep Purple song)

7. Good to Be Bad (Whitesnake cover)

8. Guitar Solo (Doug Aldrich)

9. Mistreated (Deep Purple song)

10. Can't Stop the Flood

11. Jam (Guitar & Drum Solo)

12. Drum Solo

(Pontus Engborg)

13. One Last Soul

(Black Country Communion song)

14. Soul Mover

Encore:

15. Black Country(Black Country Communion song)

16. Burn (Deep Purple song)

As an overall gig I must say it was brilliant. I couldn't quite believe how well Glenn hughes can still sing, the notes he can hit blows me away. Most singers when they reach a certain age lose their vocal range but not Hughes! Also Doug Aldrich was a joy to watch and I still love how he has all of his blonde hair. 

I you had the chance to go to see these guys on their tour I know you will agree with me that they were a great pairing to put on stage and I hope they stay together a little longer than California breed did because those guys were fantastic and it was a shame they broke up. 

But that's the way it goes, I am looking forward now to my next show Motley Crue and Alice Cooper at the NEC! Bring on the WILD SIDE!.. 

Lissy.C