THE SET
ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED – as so many tours were – to happen two years ago, tonight’s bill reads like a who’s-who of classic heavy metal, all gathered to celebrate the 40th anniversary of one of NWOBHM’s true stalwarts. The crowd features more battle jackets than you can shake a stick at, all gathered in the sold-out Eventim Apollo (still known to many as the Hammersmith Odeon). It’s an enormously stuffed bill, with openers DIAMOND HEAD coming on at 6pm, a full hour before most gigs even throw open their doors. It’s hard to condense such a lengthy and storied career – not least being cited by Metallica as a key influence – into a mere six songs. Despite this, they don’t let a shorter setlist dampen their enthusiasm, with galloping riffs and plenty of ‘woah-oh’ singalong moments. While Lightning To The Nations conjures more energy from the crowd than the band, closer Am I Evil?, whose reputation almost eclipses theirs, still sounds electrifying, as frontman Rasmus Bom Andersen waves a boot above his head.
Motorcycle Man
GIRLSCHOOL also waste no time in getting hands in the air clapping for their high-octane rock’n’roll. The stage banter is predictable, but they know their audience to a tee (“I’ve got no water up here so I’ve gotta drink bloody beer” in particular elicits cheers), and all the old tricks are pulled out, including extended middle sections and jam-style outros that would sound contrived if the band weren’t clearly having so much fun. Tacking a cover of The Gun’s Race With The Devil and Motörhead’s classic Bomber to the end of the set is fitting given the friendship the bands had long shared and helps end the set on a high as the final chords of Emergency ring out.