How long has it been since you went to a good 'ole thrash metal show? It turns out one of the most popular thrash outfits of all time still know exactly how to thrash it up!
A crowd of around 200 people got one hell of a show when Overkill made their stop at Jaxx. The affair started out at a lower volume than I had ever heard with Overkill. I asked the house sound guy what was up and he told me that he notched the amps back a few pegs, which was great news to me because my previous encounters with Overkill resulted in missing work for a few days due to a temporary lack of hearing. Overkill's frontman sounded exactly like you would expect and didn't miss a note. He also had lots of hilarious things to say between songs. The only thing I noticed that was different from the past was that his face doesn't look 18 anymore, but damn he can still sing! Something even more shocking is that he smoked at least a pack of cigarettes during the show, so I was shocked that he could belt out the tunes flawlessly night after night. Not only that, but he was chock full of energy. The dude never stopped moving, except for when a solo would be going on. At that point he would lean on the speakers at the edge of the stage and just smile at his evil creation.
I was thrilled that the band had brought their own lighting gear and a guy to run it who knew every note of every song, because it looked incredible. Seeing Overkill live is so much better than just hearing them. The guitars leads were crystal clear. The sound guy was a master at mixing them and kicked ass with an array of special effects. The leads were slammed out in classic thrash style and really felt old school. The band as a whole was incredibly tight. It seemed like they had never left the road since they started in the 80's, yet somehow they manage to keep pumping out albums.
The fans were very loyal and treated every song like an anthem. They marched, they stomped, they moshed. Heads were banging constantly. I was even surprised to discover that Overkill has a pretty large fan base of women. There were lots of hard rockin' mamas there, and they weren't all dolled up. They were there to rock and rock, they did. I was also glad to see the crowd was all old timers. I don't think i saw a single kid all night.
If Overkill comes to your town, you have to check them out if you have never seen them. They really are metal professionals. I have never heard that someone saw a bad Overkill show. I don't think it's even possible. Oh, and bonus! They played a two hour show. Rating? 9 out of 10. Why not a 10? They didn't play either of my two favorite songs. No matter, they still jammed.
In my next report I hope to give you the scoop on the The Misfits show on 10/12 ! Stay tuned.
Go to the BGR gallery (CLICK HERE) and check out my pics from last night's the show.
BE SURE to check out our friends at JAXX NIGHTCLUB! www.jaxxroxx.com
If you would like to attend a Jaxx show please let me know. I might be able to drag you along with me.
Comments Questions or Concerns? Hit me up! berube@braingell.com
And oh yeah...
Peace and Metal Grease!
berube