Gods of Metal Festival Review

Gods of Metal 2011: Music lessons from the classics.

This year Gods of Metal was different from the previous editions. Just having a look at the line up it seemed to have done a 30-year back in time jump!

With the headliners Judas Priest, that before the show announced their last tour (thing that later on they denied), Mr Big, Europe, and Whitesnake were enough to call on field every metalhead.

The first group on stage was the mad Baptized in Blood that enflamed the crowd and that later on we had the pleasure to meet backstage. They were very friendly and open to talk about their performance and works.

They were followed by the Brazilian band Cavalera Conspiracy, which has provided an exhibition of recent work without involve the audience a lot.

Change group, Duff McKagan crossed the stage when it started to drip. Fortunately for all day this was the only time we saw some rain drops... The ex bass man of Guns and Roses, perhaps due to major technical problems, was not at his top level. Duff behind the microphone was monotonous and not very expressive, he did not involve very much the excited fans.

Then came Simone Simmons with her Epica. The sounds do not do justice to the music of six young people; those under the stage did not hear the guitars, there were also some more technical problems and the drum was excessively high. The mix of all these factors made the performance quite bad.   Craddle of Filth did a “under the average” show, partly because there were still lots of problems, but also because they were quite monotonous and monochord.

It can be said that the Gods began to glow seriously from that time on. The arena was filled and the evening would have never been the same. Mr.Big fresh from the publication of a beautiful album, “What If”, jumped on.

They were welcomed in triumph. Eric Martin was surprised from the warm welcome, with an audience that sang all the songs from the beginning to the end, jumping and having fun. It was fun because Mr.Big amused, entertaining, joking with the audience. Inevitable the solos firstly of Gilbert, then Sheehan, followed by battles, even with the inevitable accompanying Makita who played for more or less 25 years during their concerts. Exciting.

Europe time!! Unfortunately the public did not immediately welcome them very well, Joey Tempest had difficulties in warming the crowd after the previous amazing performance. The enthusiasm generated by Mr.Big, was overcome thanks to the skilful work of Tempest that run from one side to the other of the stage, he rotated the pole evoking the glories of the past. The group is a guarantee in the execution of the pieces, too subdued John Norum, which I felt was a bit 'tired. After the most recent pieces finally the first notes of Carrie were heard. From then on, the audience would have been in the hands of Tempest and company.

The sun was setting and it was the turn of Mr David Coverdale and his Whitesnake that have just released a new album. The public was in an obvious state of excitement, and despite Coverdale is no longer a young man he acted like he was. The performance of the team was exemplary, supported by the only moment when everything was working well with the sounds. The new purchases demonstrate effective and productive integration into the group. A super fit Coverdale involved in the audience energized some thirty or more, and did enjoy particularly in the classics.

After the class of the white serpent was the time of Judas Priest, who lost a member of the historical group, KK Downing; Richie Faulkner, former guitarist of Laurin Harris, covered the place.  For this tour the historic British group has rescued from all, but really all, the albums as if they wanted to celebrate their career, definitely going back and supported also by videos.  Halford's performance was masterful and without sagging. Public was definitely crazy about the classics. Halford appearance on stage riding a motorcycle was astonishing.
Great sounds, great performance, and professional bands crossed the stage with highs and lows; even if we made a jump into old metal sounds, we can always see that even old rockers have the greatest energies to involve and overwhelm thrilled and amazed fans.

Review and photos: Caterina Boiardi