Motörhead - Doro - Grand Magus

Woohoo… our favorite Swedish metal heroes GRAND MAGUS keep their promise and finally tour Europe in support of their masterpiece Hammer Of North. After a short stint in UK with Arch Enemy the guys snuggle up to the right site of Lemmy’s Whiskey, on the left DORO cuddles, for the first time too ;)
As GRAND MAGUS singer JB reveals in an interview prior the show, MOTÖRHEAD are one of the first bands he bought CDs from in his childhood and are all time faves since then and a huge influence on his musical career. So it does not wonder that the Swedes are more than enthusiastic to tour with their idols ;)
Being friends for ages, also DORO makes it for the very first time to tour together with MOTÖRHEAD. While celebrating her own anniversary heavily, she shouted a huge Whiskey cake for the band’s 35th anniversary.

:: pics ::

MOTÖRHEAD likewise toured the UK and had only one day off to head over to Düsseldorf, where the entire entourage got together to kick off their venture at Philipshall. It’s icy cold and snowy outside, but at the end impressing 5.000 metal fans made it to see that package.
Meanwhile the security emerges to be very bitch, while once again the merchandise pricing breaks all records: shirts 40 Euro, zipper or hoodies 60 Euro, as seen most recently at the Deftones show, and 10 Euro cheaper at Thrashfest. C’mon, that’s 120 Mark for a black cotton jacket with a band logo on it!??? WTF!

There is still some chaos behind the scenes, but :: GRAND MAGUS :: enter the stage on time and kick off with Kingslayer from their 2005 album Wolf’s Return. The huge hall is moderately filled and so is the feedback. I don’t mind, I have fun for sure, especially when GRAND MAGUS lead over to the new tracks of their critically acclaimed album Hammer Of The North ;) Seems like people know this album better as the response grows with every new song. Drummer Seb has to struggle through some problems what left his drum tech with the hands full. Luckily no dramatic breakdowns ;) I think it’s a solid show, not their best and this time I somehow missed a second guitar again…
Setlist: Kingslayer, Like the Oar Strikes the Water, Ravens Guide Our Way, Hammer Of The North, I The Jury, Iron Will

Applause, screams and shouts already surge up when :: DORO :: appears in the foggy background of the stage. Yeah, the petite blonde still knows how to get the fans from zero to the flash point in the twinkling of an eye. DORO plays a lot of Warlock stuff that makes the fans and happy and let me smile too. Remembering the old days… ;) Für Immer is a must-be-played, and All We Are still causes gooseflesh. This woman stands for 25 years in Heavy Metal and she is still burning! My hats off lady! But… if she would gab just half she could play the doubled amount of songs. The show itself does not reveal any surprises, much more; her movements are so damn stereotype that I would like to watch anything else. And contrary to earlier shows also the light was utmost shitty.

Right after it gets very crowded. As usual :: MOTÖRHEAD :: begins with We Are Motörhead and the Philipshall turns upside down. Crazy how these old gentlemen still enthuse the fans. But also here, a totally routine show, same best-of setlist with some new tracks embedded (the new album The World Is Yours is set to be released on December 13) and a band that stays as far away as possible from the audience. Only Phil Campbell every now and then walks along at the front of stage. After 3 songs the party is over, at least for me, because I have leave the hall (was one of the photographers). I luckily can put my cam into my car and am allowed to enter the hall again (what about the ones traveling by trains and busses?). But it is so packed inside that I only make it to the door frame. That’s it! I listen to another song and then decide to clear the field. Thus I’m the first off the parking ground, no traffic and I’m back home early, got a morning shift next day ;) What’s left is a stale aftertaste. Ok, it was the first date on tour, but DORO and MOTÖRHEAD are both experienced bands and both having anniversaries, I expected much more. I just hope that all following shows change for the better.
Setlist: We Are Motörhead, Stay Clean, Get Back In Line, Metropolis, Over The Top, One Night Stand, Rock Out, The Thousand Names Of God, I Got Mine, I Know How To Die, The Chase Is Better Than The Catch, In The Name Of Tragedy, Just ‘Coz You Got The Power, Going To Brazil, Killed By Death, Ace Of Spades // Born To Raise Hell, Overkill