PIG IRON & SONS OF MERRICK
THE GAFF, HOLLOWAY ROAD, ISLINGTON - LONDON 23/06/09
Gigs like this are either very good or very bad. This was my first experience at this venue, recently it has become popular with gig-goers, the only thing I did not like was that the bar obstructs viewing if punters are filling the venue and you end up in the large open space at the rear of the venue. Getting back to the show, both Sons of Merrick and Pig Iron were both releasing their new albums a couple of days later on the Sounds of Caligula label, and this event was a showcase with these releases in mind.
Openers Sons of Merrick come on stage to a packed out venue. This reminds me of the Doomriders gig I reviewed late last year, although packed, the punters were very much a different crowd to that normally frequenting London’s gig venues, a very nice surprise. Whilst SOM display some ever present blues infused Southern Rock, their stagecraft is that of a band having fun. It has been a long time since I have seen a bassist working the fretboard so much during each track, as if he were a lead guitarist, great stuff. Nick Berkshire (vocals) takes off his beanie hat (it was summer!) and starts shaking his head around after the opening number. An obtrusive building support pillar to the right of the stage obstructs guitarist Dan Edwards, but not for long. There is plenty of movement and the quality of the music displays bears no let up. The crowd are treated to a top notch display of soulful heavy riffs, punishing bass and ear bleeding vocals. You could definitely be in the sunshine sipping Jack Daniels.
Pig Iron are a very good band in my books, brandishing their Southern Style Classic Hard Rock in a tight cohesive way. The sound is quite perfect, although you did have to stand in the middle of the stage, once you ventured stage left, the bass was very loud! Some favourites are belted out; the magical ‘Biker Lord’ is a really top tune as is the opening track ‘Ruler of Tomorrow’. Johnny Ogle’s vocals mixed with his harmonica usage fits this style perfectly. Guitarist Ben Ash gets more riffs and emotion out of his guitar than most guitarists out there and the showmanship is developed along the way. We even get a short guitar solo showcased towards the end of the set. There are fewer fans down the front for this set, but rest assured, the amount of people lining the side and rear of the venue was pretty impressive. Tonight the band airs a couple of new tunes, but all the titles escape me bar ‘Hitch’. But from what I heard, good things are-a-coming from this band. This was an encapsulating performance from a very talented band.
This was an excellent live event and one that you all should have been to! Pig Iron and Sons of Merrick are two of the hottest bands on the planet at the moment, and lovers of the southern style hard rock and metal could do no wrong in checking these bands out.
Paul Maddison
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