Almost exactly one year after the much destroying show at Essen’s club Turock highly influencing but still badly underrated political rock act WARRIOR SOUL is back in Germany to try it even bigger at Zeche Bochum. Absolutely no idea why the booking agency booked location like this one for a band like WARRIOR SOUL, much more since they did not do any promotion for this tour, mistook the support bands and did not have any flyers or banners for all others outside willing and wanting to support the band… Considering this it did not wonder that 3 shows of the German leg had to be cancelled by local organizers due to bad ticket sales. By the way… totally stupid too to count on ticket pre-sales at nowadays flood of tours, shows and festivals. People usually decide ad hoc for which show they want to spend money and pay at doors! Pre-ticket sales does not mean that much regarding “normal” bands on tour.

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However, shows at Zeche Bochum start early and likewise have an early end. On a Saturday night even sooner, since at 10 pm somewhat of an under-aged teen disco is closing in. The femme fatale trio consisting of Wiebke (hotel666.de), part-time co-editor for live concerts Claudia and me arrived on time and experienced once again a closed door for a WARRIOR SOUL show ;) Even worse, we shared this mixed blessing with only 5 another people… *hmpf* For that a couple of nifty elderly people asked if that is the entry for the dance theater *laughs* erm… NO??? Although I guess, every paying guest would be much welcome here… Just don’t know if these people would share our pleasure watching and listening to (dancing?) WARRIOR SOUL… hahahahaha.

Things did not turn out to be much better when :: AVATAR :: entered the stage and opened in front of approx. 50 peeps (it’s a 850 hall). I actually didn’t know these Swedish youngsters, just heard the name and learned that they get much hyped on Myspace. Checking them out there they play a brand of Gothenburg-styled melodic death metal in a Glam/Rock version and non stop ferocity.
With: “fuck James Cameron, we are the real AVATAR” (*coughs* I at least counted 15 active and regular bands in this world call Avatar) they stormed onto stage and played totally up: what dramatic posing, theatrical gestures, Glam attitudes, synchronized head-banging and lights frippery… the whole works, you know. Also the announcements of singer Johannes Eckerström were utmost funny, while he was drinking from a jerrycan. Many people looked at each other and started laughing or at least grinning ;) Ok, I have to confess, it was a hell of fun to take photos of them ;) Unintentionally comical but much entertaining these non-bluish Swedes are ;)
Setlist: Reload, Roadkill, The Great Pretender, Shattered Wings, And I Bid You Farewell, Deeper Down, Queen Of Blades

In between the location got passably filled. Let me say around 250, mostly die-hard fans, attended the show at the end and were hardly to stop when the intro and Interzone set in. Frontman Kory Clark was entering the stage like a restless and energetic whirlwind, while chanting “we are the government!” Neither he, nor his band mates, did not lose any grain of power during the entire show :: WARRIOR SOUL :: delivered once again such intense show. Mood was a little bit suffering from the high stage and thus caused distance to the audience. Band and fans need “body” contact ;)
There is a little line-up change: drummer Billy Williams got replaced by Freddie Cocker, who also drums in Hate Gallery, together with Janne Jarvis and Rille Lundell. And they only played one new song, namely Fuck The Pig from the now called Destroy The Warmaschine album. Remember: when the new album got first released in the US in 2008 it was called Chinese Democracy, later in Europe ...And We Rock And Roll. Always the same songs, just different cover art work and booklet. Rest of the songs were all classics. While I was pulling face, (ex) NH writer BRT so: “I anyway wanted the old songs!” Grandiose show he said ;) Also Wiebke and Claudia were much enthused by their very first WARRIOR SOUL show. Yeah! Extremely great! And me so: *kneel down*
Setlist: Intro, Interzone, Love Destruction, Punk And Beligerant, The Drug, Party, Super Power Dreamland, Shuck Um Down, Losers, Let's Get Wasted, Fuck The Pigs // Downtown, Wasteland // Charlie's Out Of Prison

Fans were drenched in sweat and left with happy and smiling faces; they escaped the following kindergarten and gruesome music to be exactly. My smile was even bigger coz I gonna see the guys tomorrow again in Frankfurt ;) Afterwards I tried to talk Rock Hard chief editor’s ear off to book WARRIOR SOUL for the Rock Hard Festival and preached to the choir. Less than 3 m ahead also Rock Hard boss Holger Stratmann stood with the same smiling face ;) Well, I’d say there’s reasonable hope to see WARRIOR SOUL on the RHF billing *woohoo* :)

story & pics © Dajana