Melachi and the Blood Ceremony

I, Melachi ibn Amillar, being of unsound mind and body, dd attend the gig of Blood Ceremony at Monto The Water Rats, in London, on 10 October, 2011, and hereby bring my report.

The venue is basically the back of a pub, which had the advantage of beer being served in glasses actually made of glass, at least in the first hour. I sat on the comfy sofa and read the Evening Standard until the first band began, led by a young lady in a hat with a large, round brim, which a person more stylish than myself could probably name more accurately. The music was pleasant enough, in a folksy style with a bluesy feel. There was also a synth/computer player, who seemed a bit redundant.

After a break, and dodging the smokers of the tiny pipe in the expedition to find the gents behind the building works, the Blood Ceremony themselves came on stage, the drummer clearly finding the space a little constrained. However, this did not affect the sound quality, which was very similar to the record, which I had thought was excellent (which is quite rare for me). As is commonly said, like Black Sabbath with a flute. Their lead singer does a very neat thing with her head, like a bat. The audience were receptive but not wildly enthusiastic and clearly not very familiar with the band, who I think would have been wildly successful forty years ago, but now? Who can tell, but I, Melachi, have spoken!

   

Melachi and the Prince of Panto

I, Melachi ibn Amillar, being of unsound mind and body, did pay obeisance at the Ozzy Osbourne concert at the Hammersmith HMV Apollo on 21 June 2011, and have brought back this report. The support band Revoker played a short thrashy set that was well received. I would not mind hearing them again.

Mr Osbourne played a not very long greatest hits set from 8.30 to about 10. He seemed on excellent form, in good voice and to be enjoying himself. I was in the front standing area and the crowd were from the first song energetic in a non-aggressive way and clearly pleased to be quite close. There was a little surfing, though by rather old people. In fact, crusties and many young people and girls were present, though few in their 30s, I would say. The sound quality was terrible and I do not think it would have been possible for anyone not familiar with the material to follow the melodic lines and chord progressions. This was not such a big problem as everyone seemed to be familiar with them. I had the impression that the guitarist, introduced as Gus, was quite good, but I could barely hear him except in the long solo section. The drum solo was painfully loud. Musically I would say the earlier Black Sabbath material with the heavier riffs was most effective in this acoustic. Whether this was strictly a metal concert I am not sure, as the weight of the lyrics and music was not really reflected in the rather bouncy performance. More a Prince of Panto than a Prince of Darkness, then, but a good time was had by all.