SOUND problems aside (see comments on previous post) last night's Black Procession tour closer in Belfast's Ulster Hall was a brutal exposition of how metal should be delivered.
Usually at this point we sit down and compose a carefully worded review. But, this time out we're going to have an experiment. We want YOU to review the gig!
Was the band line-up balanced? Was it a triumphant tour closer for Machine Head after three years touring The Blackening? Were Bleeding Through a good match? Did Hatebreed's passiom come across?How good was the lighting rig compared to the at times ropey sound? And was the stand-in opener a suitable way to get things underway?
How to post a review:
1: Comment on this post, as per normal
2. Email us here with longer pieces.
No prizes (sorry) apart from bylines for your review.
If this works wse may throw the doors open to a wider net of contributors.
Looking forward to reading your views - our review will come within 48 hours.
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9 comments:
Left early, it was like listening to metal submerged in the bath. Very disappointed as the last Machine Head gig I went to was in that piss poor cattle shed at the back of the Kings Hall, sound then was even worse.
This is 2010, surely they have the tech in place to let the audience hear the music. Even a hardened MH fan like myself was trying to make out what song was being played.
"HEAR ME NOW"......eh!...whaa....I think they are playing Message in a Bottle.
sigh...
For me the sound significantly ruined the experience. You could rarely hear what was being played beneath the boom of drums and bass, to the point where it'd be hard to know what song was being played if they hadn't just told you.
However, it was still a pretty good gig. Both Hatebreed and Machine Head played with a lot of energy.
The crowd was great (crowd surfing between songs!) and stage/light rig was very impressive.
Special props to Phil Demmel's forward somersault stage dive at the end.
I missed the first two bands ,much drinking to be done in Katy's Im afraid :) .but after getting the first of many £3:50 warm bottles of Bud I walked into the Ulster Hall for the first time since its been renovated ,to find the place absolutely packed ,it was wall to wall sweaty metallers every where
Hatebreed for me were amazing ,there's no way they are a Hardcore band these days they're a true metal experience ,all they need to do is lose the baseball caps ,and grow their hair lol (kidding) crushing tunes every one of them ,and the crowd loved it
Machine Head last Night were in top form and you could tell it was the last night of the current tour ,thou I agree there was sound problems ,but the main problem for me was ,and I cant believe Im saying this but ,I thought it was way too loud ,how ever ,I didnt let that dampen the night for me ,and I got into the whole atmosphere like every one else and had a blast
I have to say the crowd control/ security was very good and relaxed ,I cant remember the last gig I was at when I seen crowd surfers allowed in the Ulster Hall !!! even the circle pit was for the most a well maintained and friendly event ,thou I did see one guy get taken out for punching a guy in the last pit ,but tempers do flare in those situations
Im getting too old for all that carry on ,so I took it apon myself just to help the guys unlucky enough to fall during the pit,to help and make sure injuries were kept to a minimum :)
always help your fellow metal fan
\,,/ Redskull \,,/
I'm just wondering where the people were standing that thought the sound was awful? I've heard loads of people complain about sound in the Ulster Hall and it turns out they were standing round the sides so they were under the balcony, where the sound can't really *get* to.
I was able to pick out the songs no bother and was screaming along with them. And that was just in front of the pit a the front.
Stood right in the middle, then the sides, then the back, then left the building. The sound was pathetic.
The last time I heard sound this bad was Machinehead again (the kings hall cattleshed).
Maybe right at the front the bands monitors might have recovered some sense of balance.
I have seen Machinehead in other places in the uk and the sound was pristine, even when they toured with Slayer in the Ulster Hall many moons ago the sound was perfect.
Its not the building.
Got in just in time for Bleeding Through, absolutely raging that I missed Man Must Die, doors at 7? Dont think so!
Bleeding Through were really powerful, sound for them was immense! Even though the keyboards werent that high in the mix (Possibly a good thing!) Played a blinder of a set, although I may be slightly biased as a bleeding through fan.
Hatebreed were awesome. Not really a thinking mans band, but I think thats a big reason as to why there so good live. You can switch off your brain and just mosh. Suprised Jasta took getting hit with a bottle so calmly, was good to see though, any further attention to it may have antagonised the situation. Also suprised by the lack of bro-dudes present, last two times i've seen Hatebreed its been full of macho brodudery. The energy that band create is fantastic. Perfect opening band for a headliner in a venue such as the ulster hall.
Finally there was Machine Head Must admit im not their biggest fan and after the fiasco at the Kings Hall a few years back I wasnt overly keen on seeing them again. In saying that, the sound in the Nugent Hall was a key factor in the muddiness of their sound, they would have sounded clearer playing a cave!
The Ulster Hall is a good venue and the sound for the support bands was tight and cohesive which is why I know it cant be blamed on the venue or the PA they had with them.
It was simply too loud, they sacraficed clarity for volume. From what could be made out it did sound like the on stage sound was good but that was hard to make out. Stood everywhere, from front of stage, to the sides to the middle of the venue, even beside the sound desk and for a few minutes upstairs we managed to sneak up onto the balcony. Pretty much everywhere it was uncomfortably loud. Worst gig for that I've ever been to. Will be investing in a set of plugs incase this happens again. Machine Heads sound man has been with them for many years so he knows what he's doing, he looked to be pissed off at times. Not sure whether this was to do with the sheer volume or for alternate reason. Sound issues aside they did appear to be playing a sweet set and I know those up the front had no issues as the fans were going mad. Although it did them no favours in gaining myself as a new fan, it didnt seem to do any harm to current fans.
All round it was a pretty good show by all bands and maybe now people will refer to Machine Head as the loudest band to play Ireland as opposed to the messiest.
We missed MMD - the times everyone was told for the doors were wrong apparently, whatever the story with that is we missed MMD. But I heard they were really good.
We just caught the start of Bleeding Through and they fucking blew me away - so much better than I was expecting!
Hatebreed blew me away as well, they were a GREAT follow on act from Bleeding Through, it was definitely well balanced. The energy was great and everyone was going mad.
Machine Head - what the fuck was going on with that sound? It was a joke. As people have already said, I couldn't make out what songs were being played unless they were introduced. We moved from the front of the hall right up to the very back up beside the sound desk Usually, you would expect the sound to be at it's best near the sound desk - but it was equally as bad. Generally too loud - all the sounds just blended in together, it was just noise with a lot of bass and drum booms. I still had ringing in my ears the next morning.
But, I heard the sound was exactly the same in their Dublin show - and a lot of their other dates. So it wasn't just a one off.
This really annoyed me because the sound for Bleeding Through and Hatebreed was second to none!
As for the lighting - it was amazing! Especially for Bleeding Trough, the creepy greens and reds worked really well. There was a lot of strobes at times which weren't so easy on the eyes - I'm just glad I'm not epileptic!
Overall, it was fantastic besides Machine Heads sound! I bloody loved it! Definitely a great way to end their 3 year tour.
Bag Of Shite....disgraceful sound quality.
Thanks to everyone for posting their reviews! Gives a range of views on the gig - pertinent comment about security: if only every gig had such understanding guys 'policing' the event. CDC and Event Sec have made good stides in this department - let's hope it keeps up for, say for example, Metallica at the Odyssey!
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