Volbeat & Gob Squad
Venue:
Train, Aarhus, Denmark
Date:
September 13th 2006

GOB SQUAD:

At 21.30 sharp the local Gob Squad went on stage, and one have to say, they really did what they could and was put there to do, as pre-band for VOLBEAT. In spite of limited space on stage, especially the lead-singer ran about and jumped around on stage, and gave it all for all 40 minutes of their concert

Their music can best be characterized as UK-/skater-punk with a thought, that Ramones (RIP) didn’t live in vein…the sound was quite massive (read: wall), so it was practically either/or, but with 5 – 6 channels at their disposition (?), it’s limited how much finesse that can be put into the sound – the style itself isn’t really laid for finesse either… an absolutely positive experience was the bass-player, tremendously stable, absolutely a gain for the band.

Rating: 65

Not my style of music, and the sound wasn't a pleasure, but this is for the effort for making a show on no space...

VOLBEAT:

At 22.45 the main event of the evening went on in front of an audience that counted around 600 (Train was quite full) and was received with rounds of applause and cheering, by an audience in quite good form from the first stanza.

It was a very mixed public: most of the long-haired was actually girls (and not the ravaged blackmetaltype with dark rings around the eyes), and on the gents side (after all most of us) there was everything from the shorthaired, bleached type, some even with dress shirt and starched collar, to the classic metalheads with leather vests and “banger-yarn”. VOLBEAT has really hit broadly.

Right from the start there was a good mood – a lot knew most of the numbers from the first chords was stricken.

The band seems to be very thorough played together, one senses that they’re a unity on stage, and they still have the joy of playing. They’ve become checked without becoming complacent…they actually look like they enjoy it and has fun. That it was a fever-stricken Michael P. on stage was absolutely unnoticeable, and the concert was gradually even more and more intense. VOLBEATs stage-experience was obvious – they had the audience along all the way.

Apart from the numbers from their first CD they tried out a few new ones, from the forthcoming album – and they were quite well received.

In the repertoire is also the cover-track (of course in a little more raw version than the original) ”I Only Wanna Be With You” (one of those numbers everybody knows, but that most people don’t remember who wrote or recorded), and one that sounded a lot like Johnny Cash (at least some of the way). They didn’t seem contrived, even though they stylistically surely stood a little outside the rest of the style in the set, but they were a refreshing blow in a set without the greater stylistically differences. It’s quite obvious, that it’s one guy that writes all the material for the band.

With heavy riffs, a solid bottom and with Michael Poulsens distinctive, particular and vigorous voice as the mainstay, they’ve really developed quite their own style – they don’t sound like anybody else. They’ve found a combination of classic 50’s/60’s-rock, classic metal and NU-metal.

It’s understandable, that they, both in Denmark and internationally, are establishing their name as a serious band, that differs from the average.

VOLBEAT hammered away ’til a little after midnight (including two encores), and yours truly could establish: Metal lives in Denmark – thanks VOLBEAT!

Rating: 85

Had I known their music a little better when I came, the experience might have been even better, but they're a really good live-band.

Attending: Claus Melsen