Here I got to a concert review which is
literatually unnecessary. Not because, the artist here don't have a right to
be here. Each of them has a certain reputation and name in the business, and
you could name the headliner almost a legend. But with this here it is
rather the circumstance, where you say afterwards, there was no need for
that.
To make it short, there is miles too much going on right now in the bavarian
capitol. One concerts follows after the other, and very often there are even
2 or 3 events at the same time. So no surprise, that not everybody can
afford 5 gigs a week. The big events have an advantage of course, the
smaller one's drown. And the result of such an event like the one tonight
are just about 30 guests who paid a ticket to check out what happened to
Girlschool.
Girlschool always belonged to one of many Metalbands who were born in the
NWOBH in the late seventies. This band always got attention, because they
were an all girl metal band, which was rather unusual at this time. The have
fought themselves throughout the years despite of deep points, line up
changes and lack of success inbetween. It's a fact, that with the new album
'Legacy' and a live appearance at this year's Wacken Open Air festival the -
meanwhile grown up girls want to start off again with fresh energy and some
new enthusiasm. Now, I don't know, how it went so far in other cities on
this tour. But if you take the Munich concert, then I would say: - Girls
please call it a day.- Time is over - finally. Hard to say what the reason
is for the lack of audiance here. Maybe to less promotion, too many other
events the same night, or too less popularity of the band package. In each
case I doubt it, that Girlschool will ever come back to Munich, exept with
some other more famous bands. It's not that easy nowadays. Why not asking
the old lads from Motörhead? Girlschool has done a lot with them together
in the past. But this ain't easy either. Why? - Money of course.
But there are other aspects giving this party tonight a rather bitter taste.
Because when 3 bands do not even take a soundengineer along with them, then
it becomes a bit difficult. And you can feel it...
Anyway, let's start with the first act tonight named the V8 Wankers, who are
going for about 8 years now on the german rock horizon.
They call themselves 'Beer
For Breakfast Rockers' which looks pretty true according to the visual
aspect. Musically I'd put them into punkrock. The V8 Wankers are Lutz Vegas (Voc), Vulcanus (Leadgit),
Schmuddel (Rhythm.Git), DannyDiamond (Bass) und Dirty Dick (Drums). The
stage show is done with a bare chest most of the time, probably to show off
proudly the each individual tattoo paintings, which could easiyl compete
with Picasso. Dun' know whether this beauty is very attactive to women. But
it's a matter of taste I guess, and it's everybody's choice to go for it or
not to go for it. I would call it image care. Musically I've gotta say, it
doesn't happen very often, but it does occassionally, that I do like the
opener band best. They are honest, straight to the bone and very cheek. And
it would come even better round, if the small audiance would rock along with
them. But they don't. Because the True Metal fan is not into punkrock and
pretty narrowminded. Sad but true. I for my part hope, that I will see this
lot soon again, and then maybe in another environment.
Videoclip for 'Livin' In The
Past'
The self filmed Clip were broke unfortunately
Number 2 are Benedictum, who own a spot in the metal genre, though they were
only born in 2005 in San Diego, California.
Focus
of the band is of course singer Veronica Freeman, who obviously know exactly
how to put herself in the limelight, thanks to her well built upper body. I
bet, every male fan at a Benedictum concert looks first on this tempting
view. The rest of the band is: Pete
Wells,(git) Chris Shrum,(Bass)Tony
Dias,(keyb) and Blacky Sanchez (Drums). but they almost disappear behind
their frontwoman (which doesn't mean, that they are not good musicians)
It's also a fact, that Veronica could easily go for a Beate Uhse advert
with her push up bra (are the real?) and with hairextensions. However it
would be a good side job. She's got a very intensive voice, which could
almost smash glasses. But as a woman you gotta fight yourself through this
male domain named Heavy Metal. Of course with this tour Benedictum promote
their second and new album 'Seasons Of Tragendy'. But how can be something
promoted, when there is noone there. And also the own enthusiasm and
engery goes somehow down the drain, when playing in front of emptiness.
But contract is contract and has to be fullfilled. So let's get it done.
Metal Sisters and brother don't know any pain, do the?! Nowadays you gotta
be glad for every single fan in Heavy Metal, exept it's a cultband.
Personally Benedictum is not my cup of tea to be honest. But like I
said before, the average vibe in here contributes a lot to this musical
dislikeing.
First of all Girlschool are fighting with sound technical problems before
the start off with their set. And that's what they do straight after
everything is fixed again with a big band by drummer Denise Dufort.
I have to admit, purely from the visual aspect,
these ladies kept themselves pretty well in shape, mind me, the 3 original
members Kim McAulife (Voc/Git), Enid Willians (Bass/Voc) and drummer Denise
Dufort must be around 50 something. Yeah well exept maybe Mrs. Dofort, who
rather rolls to her drumkit ten walking. None of the ladies is taller than
aprox. 5 feet including their highheels. Jes... I feel like goliath with my
5.6 feet - without highheels compared to them. Well, doesn't matter now.
Whatever Girlschool misses out in their physical size, they make good with
their performance. Only guitarist Jacky Chambers, who came into the band in
2000 for Kelly Johnson, is the youthful exeption.
The whole concert is of course dedicated to
Kelly Johnson (original member) who passed away last year on cancer. And the
show is dominated by old classic tunes and new songs. 'Demolition' is the
strategy, and yes of course, - also in this case the new CD 'Legacy' wants
to be promoted. (There are no setlists available at all)
I would have loved to hear Girlschool's cover of '20th Century Boy (orignally
by T-Rex), who the band had a hit with in the early eighties. But
unfortunately it's missing. Vocals are shared by McAulife and Williams,
Whereby the voice of Williams drowns in the badly mixed sound. You can feel
here as well, that the enthusiasm of the band is somehow handycaped and not
as powerful as usual. - One more result of the pure audiance and their non
existing reactions in this livingroom here, which would suit better for a
Rock-Disco night than for this here. Shame in a way, and like I said in the
beginning of this review, this appearance here in Munich has been rather
useless, Sad but true
