Motorhead + In Flames - Guildhall, Southampton. 23/11/05

Had a call the day before to go do local crew at this so I was hardly likely to turn it down but when I got there and saw how much PA needed unloading I nearly had second thoughts! At one point the whole of the floorspace in the Guildhall was covered in speakers so I kind of had a feeling that it was going to be loud; several hours later it was time for a quick journey back to Portsmouth to rest the aching limbs before grabbing a lift back early (cheers Dan) to see the Head. We arrived too late to catch Girlschool but came in as In Flames were thundering out some modern tribal sounding metal, plenty of power and solid riffing to inspire synchronized headbanging and it seemed to be going down well in the pit. I like my metal but at times find bands like In Flames lose interest after a while, perhaps because I do not know the material but it all tends to blur into one sonic blast and while it's a blast that could rip your head off and you have to admire the power you do wonder if in 30 years they will still be going like the headliners or if anyone will remember them.

Most are here to see Motorhead yet again, celebrating 30 years on the road and still going strong. You know what to expect and on this last show of the tour they crank up the sound and play good honest rock n roll music, even with Lemmy nursing a rough throat (as if you'd notice!) they rip through a set of old and new opening with Dr Rock and Stay Clean. Classics such as Over The Top, Love Me Like A Reptile, No Class, Ramones, Brazil are aired with Lemmy doing the panto bit and asking if we can hear them before turning the knobs up yet again to teeth rattling volume. The pairing of Killed By Death and my personal favourite, Iron Fist, close the show on a high before they take to the stage for an acoustic encore of Whore House Blues that works really well and shows that they can cut it even with out all the power and volume before launching into the overplayed but still awesome Ace Of Spades with the place going nuts and closing with Overkill. I fully expect to see Motorhead still going strong in another 30 years if Lemmy gets that far, I don't think the man can do anything else but play rock music and frankly no one does it quite as well as Motorhead. It may be just another of their endless gigs to the band but try telling that to the beer and sweat drenched crowd leaving the Guildhall with smiles and the smell of rock in their nostrils.
I have to then spend several hours packing all the gear away but I'm happy because I get a Motorhead plectrum that I find on the stage and we get lovely Motorhead Local Crew t-shirts to wear with pride and I've seen the best rock band in the world again and I got paid for being there. Life is good sometimes.