Let me just start by saying this: IMMORTAL KICKS ASS! I have been a big IMMORTAL fan since about 1998 and have found them to be the best and most consistent "Black Metal" band currently in regular rotation. I consider them to be more of a Black/Thrash band but I have always been taken by their heavy riffing, which to me, is stellar! This is the third or fourth time I have seen them live over the past 10 years.
Now I know that there are people reading this who will think, "Oh, IMMORTAL is not real black metal." Or, "IMMORTAL is too accessible." Or, "IMMORTAL is too mainstream and not cult enough." Or, "IMMORTAL sucks because they actually produce their albums and do not record them on a four track unit in someone's basement." Blah blah blah.
That's all very nice but I can tell you that there were probably about 1,500 head bangers here and it was a KILLER show! And I can also tell you that no one gives a shit about the "true" elitists. It’s a Metal show, not a fucking Pagan revival meeting! And therein may lie the problem, but that is a story for another day.
I took some photos with my cell phone but they did not come out well. [Tangent: About two hours prior to the show as I was checking out of my hotel there was an NPC fitness event nearby and a bunch of fitness girls were having photo shoots in the lobby. I'm all about that…a very good way to start the night! A few of them let me take pictures. These chicks had the nicest asses I have ever seen in person. Jaw dropping, drooooooool.]
Upon arrival around 18:30 the line trailed pretty far down 42nd street. The usual amusing bunch of kids wearing various Metal shirts were in attendance. A typical US crowd. This show was sold out weeks before, so it was packed.
I ran into someone wearing a FALKENBACH T-Shirt on the way in and that is a rarity. We chatted for a while about FALKENBACH and all that implies. Then a very amusing thing happened - some skinny, little, pale, NSBM guy walks up to my new friend and starts harping about how no one is worthy to wear a FALKENBACH shirt unless they stem from a true Teutonic bloodline (this new friend of mine was half Italian, half German, but fully "American") and that only people who understand Teutonic and Heathen lore should be permitted to wear such a shirt. Hehehehehehehehe. For those of you who know me personally you may find this amusing. For those of you who know me, you also know that although I am large man I am inherently gentle. Not in this case. First of all I started barking at this little skinny unwashed National Socialist in German and, lo and behold, he could not understand a word I said. Very Teutonic indeed. After brushing the maggot off, I went to the bar and had 5 or 7 shots of Jim Beam Bourbon in about a 30 minute span. Show preparation.
Then I saw the little NS punk again giving my FALKENBACH friend a hard time. I showed him the Iriminsul tattoo on my back and came VERY close to hitting him, hard. Again, not my style at all, but the Bourbon and the topic fired me up. I was actually restrained, and reasoned with, and laughed it off. Good thing too because I would have missed a great time.
Anyway, back to the show. I skipped the local warm up acts. IMMORTAL started around 21:00 and just about blew the place apart. The first song was a little quiet but they adjusted their PA and played a full throttle head banging set. I am terrible with track listings and song orders but they played most of "At The Heart of Winter" including my favorite IMMORTAL track, "Solarfall". They also played a lot of material off "Sons of Northern Darkness" including my favorite on that album; "Tyrants". My neck is sore this morning. There were moments at this show where I lost track of my surroundings and just head banged with the power of this mighty band. (And, yes, the Jim Beam helped!)
I had an awesome time. With the exception of the little NS punk, I met some very cool and friendly people and we talked about all kinds of Metal, Metal travel, old shows from the 80's, and just had an overall great time.
My two complaints are that the set was too short. They went off by 10:45PM. Typical BB Kings schedule, not the bands fault. Secondly in terms of the drums…damn…talk about triggers! I have never heard a drummer rely on triggers as much as last night. It was to the point where it was so obviously enhanced that they could have used a drum machine! Still, a minor point because the band played very well and the sold out crowd was into it.
I also bought two rather cool IMMORTAL T-shirts (one for me, one for my kid) and of course I am thrilled because I will see them again in less than a month at Wacken Open Air 2007, on a big stage.
Great show! Second great show in a week for me! I consider myself lucky and appreciate these opportunities. ,,/
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