TANKARD, DAMNAS & DOCTOR DEATH
THE UNDERWORLD, CAMDEN TOWN - LONDON 06/09/09
On paper, this gig had all the hallmarks of alcoholic abandonment, and by the end of the evening, this was a fair statement. I am sure the bar made a healthy profit by the end of the show and it was good to see yet another near packed out underworld for this thrash metal extravaganza.
Doctor Death, North London’s answer to Tankard erupt on stage with the return of a previous singer, and new drummer; well I don’t remember this guy playing with them when I saw them play with Deceptor, though I maybe wrong! Whilst the vocals got lost sometimes, there were plenty of crowd members willing to pitch in with the lyrics. This was a vibrant show with comedy and better musical presentation than previously witnessed; the band were clearly having fun on stage. ‘Jeremy Beadle’ and ‘Illuminazi’ were highlights both for me and the swelling crowd. Even the sight of a mad doctor (whom I believe his identity was well known) bashing the band with foam axes did not distract a focused live effort. It was good to see the crowd using the supplied foam axes on each other and even the band, a nice touch of humour and the reaction spoke for itself.
Damnas have experience in abundance, with plenty of live shows behind them and their confidence on stage proves this. Whilst the sound did not come across that clear, vocalist Donny and Bassist Jon certainly made their way to and fro across the stage beckoning the crowd for more reaction than the strong response they were already receiving. Some of the tracks are so fast you had to take note with great interest otherwise you would miss these tunes as they sped along. A good show, just a shame the sound wasn’t as clear as it has been for the previous band, although, stage front was a good audible experience.
Now for Tankard, and if there is one thing you can rely on in London is a good response to this band. The crowd are whipped into frenzy; plenty of punters dare to use the stage to their full advantage and dive right into the welcoming crowd. Gerre and co were certainly lapping this up. Musically, you cannot touch them, the sound is amazing and each track is played with note precision, even the speedier numbers. Newer tracks like ‘Stay Thirsty’ sit right up there with classics like ‘Beermuda’ from killer album ‘The Meaning of Lif,’ and the expected tunes get the crowd clapping away. With beer taking it toll, I was off home to wallow in the alcoholic splendour that I had just witnessed. It would have been good to see some more UK dates from this band, but I was happy and lucky enough to catch them live again. A great gig for those who remember it!
Paul Maddison
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