As I look around at the crowd tonight I can’t help notice several members of the crowd carrying plastic swords, which left me wondering somewhat.

Then Dragonforce hit the stage and the rank and file sword carrying hordes let their presence be known.  This is the norm for Dragonforce gigs I’m told but how long will it be before the swords become real and carnage begins?

As I hadn’t heard anything by Dragonforce before tonight I was greatly surprised.  If you ignore the swords and concentrate on the band then you’re in for a treat.  They go about their task and perform the style of power-metal that is normally only hear from the big European band like Stratovarius and Nightwish and the like.  Definitely a band worth checking out again, but if I do I’ll leave my trusty sabre at home for the time being.

So to the main event, the crowd cheer in anticipation as the road crew set up Blackie Lawless’s mike stand that looks like a mixture of the Terminator and Alien.  The lights go out and the band hit the stage.  Going for the jugular straight away with a four track onslaught that consists of ‘On your Knees’, ‘Electric Circus’, ‘Hellion’ and ‘Murders in the Rue Morgue’.

Musically this has got to be the tightest WASP line up I’ve seen for years.  Again we have Mike Duda on bass, Darrell Roberts on Guitar and replacing Frankie Banali on drums for the live shows is Stet Howland and of course we have the man himself Blackie Lawless.

Still the backbone of the band, he like David Coverdale is able to weather the storm of band member changes and still give the crowd what they want to hear.  The classic WASP tracks like ‘L.O.V.E. Machine’ and ‘Animal’ are still very much part of the set.  Even the tracks off the new album ‘The Neon God’, ‘What I never Find’ and ‘Sister Sadie’ are received well by the crowd.

Then the stage darkens as Lawless climbs on to the mike stand and covers his face and arms in fluorescent paint and a black light illuminates a tormented looking figure on stage as he sings ‘My Tortured Eye’ and the effect is simple but stunning.  

Then were back to the crowd pleasers ‘The real Me’ and ‘I wanna be Somebody’ before the band leave the stage to thunderous roar of approval from the crowd.  The crowd bay for more and more they get with ‘The raging Storm’, again off the new album. A WASP gig wouldn’t be complete without the final track of the night ‘Blind in Texas’, which brings to close one of the most impressive gigs of the year so far. The full-on stage show may be no more as I feel Blackie wants the bands music to take the forefront and not the theatrics of old. A fabulous gig and a fabulous night out all round. Fingers crossed it won’t be too long before Blackie and the boys ride back in to town and give us more of this classic metal that we crave so much. Related links: Live Reviews ... W.A.S.P. - Nottingham (2004) W.A.S.P. - Newcastle (2006) W.A.S.P. - Newcastle (2007) CD Reviews ... W.A.S.P. - Dying For The World W.A.S.P. - The Neon God pt.1 W.A.S.P. - The Neon God pt.2  W.A.S.P. - Dominator (2007)