Written by Jessica Santiago Lopez at 2012-07-24 17:34:30
Live Reviews :: Bospop 2012: Sunday
Metalkrant was also present at the Sunday of Bospop to check out Adrenaline Mob’s show. So, there I am! The Bospop Festival in Weert! A great place to be for people who love not only metal, but music in general. Bospop’s program is always very eclectic and opened to every kind of rock and pop music.
Patti Smith was performing as I was entering in the press area to interview John Moyer (Adrenaline Mob’s bassist). I saw Tom Jones as well as I was going through this muddy place to buy my Adrenaline’s tour tee. It was great to recognize some of his hits (‘What’s New Pussycat?’ or ‘It’s Not Unusual’), but the show isn’t really surprising. Just great to hear such a recognizable voice from this 72 years old man! So I didn’t stay the whole show to see him, because the band I came for was performing next after that in the tent!
No time to lose to have a good position at the front stage! I’m there, ready to rock while the staff is testing the bass drums and all the other stuffs on stage. The drums are covered so that we can’t see which kit Mike Portnoy’s using this time (not the Siamese Monster as I can see, but a ‘smaller’ double bass kit).
Then the Tom Jones show came to an end and the tent began to fill little by little (it’s half-full as I can see before the show). It’s 17.45 PM and the light fade out... A song starts... a kind of ‘Godfather’s tune ... Then, I recognize this singer, it’s Johnny Cash! This song is ‘God’s Gonna Cut You Down’! A very great song about gamblers and other outlaws who don’t pay for their crimes on Earth, but will pay later when god will decide. A song that could be about the mob. (as their first album: ‘Omerta’)
Then the band enter on stage and begin to perform ‘Psychosane’. A terrible song to introduce the band to the audience. But the power, the motivation,the attitude, the melodies,...and the adrenaline are there from start to finish. The band doesn’t sound and look like a new band. It’s more like a well experienced band and not a shy one. Russell Allen’s voice is so powerful and impressive! Some singers can’t breathe during their show and it affects their singing. But with Russell, nothing like that. He pushes his voice and masters his microphone like no other! And the audience is already enjoying the show as Portnoy began to beat his drums like a hammer for the next song: ‘Down To The Floor’
The tent is now full and many people put a hand up to show their enthusiasm and shake the head at every beat. Many great songs will be performed during the show (nearly the whole album!),like ‘Come Undone’ with Floor Jansen who performs the female parts perfectly! The best moment was during the break in ‘Believe Me’, when Mike Portnoy and John Moyer began to jam together in a slow tempo and then go on, adding more tension and power with a double bass fill, while Mike Orlando was soloing! A really great moment to see and the crowd changed its mood from exited to completely mad!
The best was kept for the end when the last set began with ‘Undaunted’!! Allen jumped continually and everyone followed him and sang (shout) the chorus with him! The final song choice was obviously ‘The Mob Rules’ (a Black Sabbath cover) and everyone wanted more from this fantastic band! Perhaps next time as John Moyer told me they would be back soon for a next European tour!
Go and see them, you’ll be very impressed by their guitarist, Mike Orlando! An unknown virtuoso who feels so comfortable with his instrument and shares just that during the whole show with the crowd.
Conlusion: THE MOB RULES!
Review written by Christophe Pauly
