Machine Head @ Glasgow Barrowlands - Live Review

Machine Head

Glasgow Barrowlands

December 5

MA-CHINE-HEAD... MA-CHINE-HEAD... Okay, so it's maybe not the most innovative of chants but in a dimly lit Barrowlands hall packed with notoriously loud Glaswegians frothing at the mouth, waiting for one of metal's finest live acts to grace the stage, it certainly gets you going.

With the brilliantly awkward Sikth having just left the fray minutes earlier you quickly get the feeling that this is a show many in the crowd have been counting down the days to. Those who caught their memorable gig with Ill Nino supporting a couple of years back had every reason to be to be up for, Rob Flynn and co. were stunning that night and they would prove to be a consistent bunch. Ripping into the set with the awesome Imperium, the night rapidly gains a grab-your-partner-by-the-hand and smash them into whoever's closest kinda vibe. The mosh pit just gets better and better with walls-of-death, circle pits and the odd mis-directed crowd surfer making sure the first aid team earn their wages.

Now as any fan who has travelled to gigs outside their own city will know, touring bands somehow manage to plan their full schedule to start at the worst venue on the planet and finish at the best.  Either that or their constant claims that 'we (the kids) are the best fans anywhere' and 'this (insert city name) is the best place to play' is bullshit. Surely not? But with Rob Flynn it feels different somehow, he seems genuinely impressed by the reaction each track is given and takes several breaks to let us all know just how crazy we are. The set comprises of a mix and match from every album except last year's critically brutalised Supercharger. Which is a tad unfortunate because the aptly named Bulldozer, catchy Crashing Around You and stunning Deafening Silence are sorely missed. However with a catalogue which boasts Ten Ton Hammer, Davidian, The Blood, The Sweat, The Tears and the aforementioned Imperium the crowd weren’t starved of highlights.

To round off the UK leg of the tour Rob invites Sikth and openers Breed 77 out on stage for a shot of what looks like Aftershock and orders that the crowd join them and toast the successful night.

Well it would be rude not to....

Gavin McInally