Monday, 11 April 2016

Powerwolf - First blood.

Photo by Powerwolf

I am by no means a metal head - that title goes to my DH.  Despite my (very) eclectric taste in music, metal does not really feature heavily (ha ha)  in my listening habits, I like some Metallica and  I'm not ashamed of my "Best of Guns and Roses" playlist but it's really only the more main stream stuff.  So when I heard, and enjoyed,  my first Powerwolf song - Sanctified with Dynamite (introduced to me by my husband in his car as "our childrens' current favourite song" - they are also becoming metal heads) I imagined that it was also going to be a one off.  It wasn't.  I listened to more and bought the albums, watched their videos and began that strange behaviour that seems to be common to actual metal fans, that is hankering after a T-shirt.

So, my little innocents, who is this Powerwolf of whom I speak?  Well they are said to be a power metal group and they are from Germany where they have had considerable success, which has then spread across Europe and they are not unheard of on the other side of the Atlantic either.  All of which means that I was not hopeful of ever being able to actually go to one of their concerts (or metal masses as they would have them).  So imagine my surprise when, after an evening youtube surfing, I idly googled "Powerwolf concert" and discoverd, bizarrely that they would be touring Europe and would be playing in Clermont!!!!!!!!!  An hour away ! This is a group who are playing in Moscow, Paris and Berlin ! and apparently Clermont? Wait, now hang on, what's that date?  Oh a Saturday, and my wedding anniversary?! Fate had decided, tickets were reserved. I was about to go to my first metal concert.

I honestly don't think that I have ever been more excited or nervous about a concert, I'm not sure who was more nervous, me, that I would disgrace myself by fainting at the feet of these gods, or DH, that I would disgrace him by my none metal behaviour (I did keep winding him up asking him if we should applaud when the conductor came on stage and the like....) .  The day dawned and then, finally, the sun set and we were off, waving goodbye to resentful children who thought that they should be allowed to come too.

Upon arrival it appeared that I had not misjudged the dress code and we were confronted with a sea of black.  I was reassured that this was not going to be a heavy heavy metal concert by the presence of a large number of girls in the queue and the occasional glimpse of a Nightwish T-shirt (I even saw a Nirvana one...) and I was in agonies of jealousy when I spotted a girl with blue hair and corpse paint, (work obligations dictate that hair must only be dyed natural colours, I will therefore have to retire before my blue hair dream is realised.)

Alright alright, I'm getting there.  The concert at last.  Oh no, hang on, first was the merch stand and I got my T-shirt at last and compensation patches for the waiting children back home.  Right the concert itself;  the coopérative de mai in Clermont is not a huge venue so despite protestations from the other half I managed to quickly wriggle myself to the very front of the stage so that there would be only one person and an security guard between me and my heros.  Yes, yes, I know, you proper metal music maniacs, the correct place to stand is not up against the stage, that is not where the sound is best etc etc, but honestly as a place to be able to see how adeptly my gods handled their instruments and to admire their perfect fingering I was ideally positioned, I mean I could read their tattoos.

I felt rather an imposter during Serenity and Battle Beast who were on before the wolves (and very good they were too, I actually really enjoyed Serenity who I had obviously never heard of) as everyone was waving their metal horns around and doing much stamping and yelling but when Powerwolf made it on stage I forgot that I am not a member of this metal club and went mental with the rest of them.

 Obviously they were brilliant.  They played all of my favourites and musically they so didn't disappoint.  I sang along, proud to know the lyrics to such classics as "Reserrection by Erection" (it makes me laugh) and "Werewolves of Armenia" (I could already count to four in German but now my Latin is coming on a treat too with the old Cantus Lupus).  It was so much FUN, there was so much action and interaction and Attila sang so beautifully and the wolves played and howled so passionatly.  I nearly cried when all was over and tried so hard to get DH to stay until their bus left just in case I might catch another glimpse of them, but to no avail.

So there, my first metal concert was fabulous.  Does this mean I will delve deeper and become a metal head and aficiando of the genre?  Probably not.  I don't do growly or shouty vocals, I don't get mosh pits and despite listening to other bands (DH's a fan remember) I'm just not that keen on the general sound.  I need lyrics sung by powerful voices, screaming well played guitars and well constructed melodies and themes, all of which Powerwolf deliver with the added bonuses of latin vocals, church organ sections, and vampire/werewolf themes.  They wear makeup and don't take themselves too seriously.  Come on, what's not to love?

Will I be off to another Powerwolf metal mass?  You betcha, I need another T-shirt!
Photo belonging to Powerwolf
Powerwolf is;
  Attila Dorn
  Matthew Greywolf (who was poorly but luckily Markus Pohl played in his place, poor Matthew get well soon)
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