Grand Magus / Roadsaw / Orange Goblin

MARCH, 5th 2002 at the Underground / Cologne, GER

This time I arrived 4 hours before the show starts. The reasons were an interview with GRAND MAGUS and ORANGE GOBLIN. So check out the interview section for a detailed report about both bands. If you have maybe read other gig reviews here, than you'll know that the Underground is a very fine place for this kind of gigs. A very good sound and a friendly atmosphere were once again the base for a sweaty evening.

GRAND MAGUS opened up this package and after the outstanding debut I was really amazed to see this sympathic Swedish powertrio for the first time live. They've played songs like the ultra-heavy "Lodbrock" and this band on stage is the same tight and strong unit as on the album. Janne was doing an excellent vocal- and guitarwork and Fox and Trizze were laying down a solid heavy backbone.And when I write heavy I mean HEAVY. This sound was massive like the walls of a black fortress.This was their first big tour outside of Sweden and they've performed their set with a lot of energy and passion. They were really sweating out the Blues. Aside of "Lodbrock" they've played other fine songs like "Wheel Of Time" and a new one. I can't remember the title, but it was one of the heaviest songs of GRAND MAGUS, that I've ever listen to. There were some heavy droning in it and I hope the guys will take for the next album. Sadly, after ca. 35 minutes the show was over and this was much to short for this strong band. The people's reaction was also very good and so it was a successful gig for GRAND MAGUS. Whenever you've got the chance to see them live than do it!

After a break ROADSAW entered the stage. At this moment nearly 150 people were in the Underground. This wasn't the first European tour for ROADSAW, but I've missed all of them so this was the first time to see them live. Craig is exactly this kind of frontman, who is necassary for the heavy and furious metallic shining Rock 'n' Roll of ROADSAW. He started the show with big black 70`s sunglasses and a cowboy hat, so that he looked like the proto-type of an American rockstar. The energy the band was spreading out directly reached the audience and so they were simply kickin' ass. Of course, they've played songs from the last album "Rawk N Roll", but they've also did some older tunes. But the eye-catcher was Craig. He was running around the stage and he had really a lot of fun. ROADSAW are a well-routined live act and although not every song hadn't impressed me I liked it. This guys are authentic in what they are doing and they are playing the right music for long highway rides.

Then comes the headliner ORANGE GOBLIN. The last time I've seen this London-based band was back in 1997 , together with Terra Firma and Cathedral. I remembered a good show and so was this one. The band started with the opening track "Your World Will Hate This" from the new album "Coup De Grace".Thunderous straight-forward heavy Rock 'n' Roll filled the club and the band was performing with a lot of drive and energy. Ben Ward is still the charismatic sympathic frontman and he was sharing his energy with the other guys of the band and the people. And you can't overlook this entertaining man! The band presented a lot of new songs, that are more in the Motörhead R'n'R vein, like on any other album before. But there was enough space for this typical mellow ORANGE GOBLIN grooves. I think in the middle of the set the band was losing a little bit of the energetic tightness, but towards the end the machine was running up again. They've also played a cover of the Misfits classic "We Bite" and for this song the guys of ROADSAW were on stage for backing vocals and everybody was having a lot of fun. Some older songs were also part of the show and after over an hour the band finished the set. To sum it up, once again a good evening in Cologne with three very good bands, but my personal fave of this package was GRAND MAGUS what doesn't mean that the other bands had been average. At least I like to send out my best greetings to every band and the friendly people of the Underground.

(KK)