udo_2004_10

» U.D.O. 2004 10 10

Reviewed by David
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Special guest: Majesty
City: Stockholm, Sweden
Venue: Klubben
Date: 10 Oct 2004
Majesty setlength: 30 minutes
U.D.O. setlength: 120 minutes

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Majesty

Majesty do their job as a warm up act. German metal with *hrrm* some influences from Manowar. But the lack of originality are compensated with a couple of really good, heavy songs, which are delivered with great confidence and competence. Actually I am quite surprised by Majesty's performance. They easily manage to bring over the public on their side, knowing that most of the spectators are waiting for U.D.O.

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U.D.O.

Udo Dirkschneider makes his entrance in a long silver-spangled shirt. The handicraft might not be that impressive, but Udo himself radiates his status as a metal legend. What more is that you can tell that this is a band that simply has fun on stage. Udo and Stefan Kaufmann as vital as ever, and the rest of the band young and hungry. Since Lorenzo Milani took a time-out out of personal reasons just a couple of weeks ago, Francesco Jovino replaces him behind the drums. Jovino should have great credit for a well done job, with such short time to rehearse. But his inexperience does that the band cannot change the setlist from one evening to another as usual. That takes away some of the possibilities to surprise, but still we got some different tracks since the appearance at Sweden Rock Festival this summer. Personally I like the return of Midnight Highway and Holy.

Thunderball is actually one of the (few) weaker tracks from the album with the same name and maybe not the perfect starter. But who cares, when it is followed by a metal hit parade few other bands could even dream of. No less than twelve Accept classics are delivered through the night, mixed with only nine from the records with U.D.O. It is not possible to argue against that choice, since Accept has such a treasure of classics to choose from, but a couple of more rare U.D.O.-tracks would be fun as well, for the fans. I really missed the brilliant accordion-metal experiment Trainride In Russia! But the raw Pull The Trigger, the heavy/groovy The Bullet And The Bomb and the beautiful Blind Eyes represents Thunderball with the honor.

The only thing that lowers the experience at large is the crowd. It is too small (just about 400) and a bit 'Sunday evening' reserved, compared to the complete crazy bunch at SRF that sang along to every song. I mean, the band got a normal response for a metal band at Klubben, but that is just not enough when it comes to such legends, with such party metal songs in their luggage, and such energy on stage.

The encore numbers are formidable: Holy, one of the best U.D.O.-tracks ever, followed by an unbreakable trio from the most classic Accept-era. Not even the chilliest Stockholm public can resist freaking out to sing-alongs such as I'm A Rebel, Princess Of The Dawn and Fast As A Shark. U.D.O. leaves no-one disappointed this evening - they never do! Nevertheless, if it was totally magic at Sweden Rock, it was merely brilliant this time!

8 Chalices of 10

SETLIST

Thunderball
The Bullet And The Bomb
Metal Heart
Living For Tonight
Independence Day
Pull The Trigger
Love Child
(drum solo)
Metal Eater
Restless And Wild
Son Of A Bitch
Blind Eyes
Neon Nights
Man And Machine
(guitar solo)
Midnight Highway
Up To The Limit
Animal House
Balls To The Wall
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Holy
I'm A Rebel
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Princess Of The Dawn
Fast As A Shark