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Okay, let's get it straight - This here is the god damned very best performance I have experience live on stage  for the past six months. And I'm going to aprox. 3-4 gigs every week for my job. No joke, no overdoing. But this (for Europe) new american Rockband has simply pulled me outta my shoes. Holy shit...this is phantastic and it doesn't happen very often nowadays, that I'm totally stunned. This is rather due to the fact, that I've probably already seen too much within the past 25 years of beeing in the musicbusiness. Once again - this heavenly, phenomenal, hype and crazy. 
I have to confess, I didn't know the Eagles Of Death Metal, apart from the name. But I was wondering in the past, that these guys apparently do so well in the states. And that's why I became sort of curious. 


First of all two supportbands pull my good mood down again, according to the enormous length of the whole evening. Both of them nice to look at, thanks to the sexy female paradisebirds, not so nice to listen to. While first act goes straight for the fiveties, the second act rather reminds me about Björk for the poor. Over all, nothing exiting at all and not very encouraging for the headliner. 
However, it is sold out completely with about 1.200 fans. And outside there are still some 100 kids trying desperately to get in, - but no chance at all. There ain't even space for a fly anymore, and the heat is already boiling. 

I've gotta mention, that luckily we photographers are alowed to take pics of the whole event throughout statetime in the photopit. This is rather rare, and usually 3-5 songs are enough to get decent shots. But in this case here tonight we are relieved for the chance to stay in the pit, because outside the third worldwar has just exploded. Another phenomen is the fact, that the audiance consists of people with an average age between 18 and 25 years young, and of course  you tend to assume, that the headlining group is about the same age, and the kiddies feel related to their idols of the same generation. The calls are getting louder and louder: "Jesse, Jesse, Jesse"!!!! - And again I'm absolutely stunned, when four guys, presumingly in their mid 40s storm the stage. The hurricane goes up to 20 on a scale out of 10. to take it ahead, - This music here and Death Metal has as much iin common like Barry Manilow with Black Sabbath. This here is straight Rockmusic with an aura situated between hardcore punk ana Village People.

Founded by Jesse Hughes already in 1998 together with Joshua Homme, who comes out of Queens Of The Stone Age. Both know each other since early schooldays. In 2003 the debutalbum "Peace,Love & Death Metal" came along. By the way, the curious band name Jesse und Joshua adopted by some guy, who named the glamrockband Poison a Death Metal Band in front of them. Anyway, the relation between Poison and Death Metal Music is about the same, what the name Eagles of Death Metal means to this kinda music. The band went through several line up changes, and Joshua nowadays concentrates more or less on the promotional aspects. They have been in Germany before last year at the Southside/Hurricane-Festival and supporting the Strokes in Berlin. - The second album "Death By Sexy" was released, first in the US, later by Gun Records in Germany. 


                                                                                      
The last thing we heard over here before this tour, were the news, that Axl Rose from Guns'n'Roses had dropped them as support act in the middle of the tour. Wonder why. But now the Eagles Of Death Metal are over here again and burst in like an explosion. Jesse is great with his gay bodylanguage, and my photo collegue and me ask ourselves, whether he is gay or not. But he is not as I heard, because first after the divorce from his wife he brought the band up to the top. Respect, Jesse is a great actor as well. He also is weapon freak and a pornomovie fan, and he produced a videoclip to 'Midnight Creeper' which is dedicated to his Ex-Wife and Sam Colt and Co. transporting her to beyond and further. The result is a position on the index list on MTV. But as we say so, negative promotion is also promotion.- Jesse doesn't let us breath. It is a constant explosion 

Nebst to  Jesse "The Devil" Hughes, there are  Bassist Brian "Big Hand" O'Connor (Desert Sessions 9+10) and guitarist Dave Catching (Mondo Generator) and Ex-QOTSA-drummer Gene Trautman in the band. Everything fits a 100% – And the  Kiddies are freaking out, so the security has got a nonstop job to catch up all those flying bodies. My concentration moves between taking pictures, watching the show  at the same time and defending stage divers in the pit. It is madness pure, but it is wonderfull. Jesse rules and collects all these plastic beer beekers, stick it neatley into each other. Shirts are sailing through the air as well and even a bra, which Jesse obviously likes a lot. Death By Sexy - in the real sense of the meaning! Next to own songs of the before mentioned CDs, The Eagles of Death Metal are offering us some coverversions as well. Most of all - "Stuck In The Middle" from Steelers Wheel. The EOD version is turned into "Stuck In The Metal". Within the encore we get some "Brown Sugar" from the Rolling Stones. 
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It's hillirious, great and absolutely mad, exactly like a true Rock'n'Roll party should be. Even swedish metalheads Hammerfall , who played the same venue three days before, seem like innocnent choirboys compared to this here. 
The kids have a new idol, and I have a new favorite band, at least what's up to Live Shows. And to repeat myself again and again, this is the ultimative, best thing, I have seen within - at least - the past six months, when not even for longer. - No kiddin'. I could cry for joy and pleasure about these guys. So Jesse, please come back very soon. The Rock'n'Roll Live needs you over here and me too....

                                                                                       
http://www.eaglesofdeathmetal.net/ 

Even more Live Pics - here

click on this pic below and watch the  Videoclip for "I Want You So Hard" on YouTube