KING LIZARD,VIRUS,HOLLOW LIMIT - ROCK ATTIC,STREATHAM 13.12.08 (Gig Review)

King Lizard
Virus
Hollow Limit

Rock Attic 13.12.08

Hollow Limit
With their melodic blend of Iron Maiden meets Killswitch Engage they may have seen an odd choice for opening act, but this bunch of young rockers took to the stage and demanded attention.
After a cool start the audience started to warm up when they did a cover of Maiden's 'The Trooper', from that point over they won them over with each successive song recieving a loud cheer.
The band have a great stage presence and a good dual guitar sound with a very talented frontman who was not afraid to jump into the crowd and sing right in their faces.
One to watch for in 2009 i think.

Virus
Expectations were very high and the conversations outside were colourful, the question being could Coke McFinlay pull off a new Virus with him being the only original member and with it being nearly 20 years since their last gig.

The attic was packed with many old fans, some had traveled many miles to be here,
punks, skinheads and young thrash metallers were all waiting... then out went the lights the smoke machine spluttered into life and the intro tape rolled, out walked Coke, Matt, Sam and Dave they picked up and stood behind their chosen weapons of destruction and then Blam!straight into 'Seeing Is Believing' the place went fucking crazy!
In those few opening notes Coke had already proved his point and silenced the critics yes he could pull it off, but he went one better this is a new invigorated Virus full of life and power and dedicated to the music now and not on a nostalgia trip.

Though Coke had not sung with the previous incarnation he was more than capable of breathing new life into the songs and Dave's subtle changes to the drumming have dragged the classics like 'Lunacy' and 'Pray For War' kicking and screaming into the modern age.

I tell you this forewarned is forarmed Virus want their throne back !This was hammered home with a brand new song called 'Skulls Of My Enemies' move over Evile your slayer worship days are over, original brit thrash is back.
The final songs were'Dont Get Mad, Get Even' and 'Testify To Me', a solid 30 minute set that left every single person there covered in sweat and cheering for more, i did not hear a single complaint, not one person said anything negative.

King Lizard
The Camden Crue were an unlikley headline act, but its about time that they played outside their "Box" and they won over a few new fans tonight and gained some respect from fellow musicians, one of whom will remain nameless but plays in a death metal band was jumping up and down and singing along and headbanging big time !

It has to be said that they entertained above and beyond normal duty and in particular turned much of their attention to their friend and long time fan Ross who was celebrating his 21st birthday.
After each song drummer Sky brought fourth a shot of Jagermeister for him to drink, to be honest the band had been getting him sloshed all evening, im amazed that
Ross got any pictures or video footage at all tonight.

Ross was dragged on stage to sing 'Riot' and displayed some quality headbanging as he slid down alice's mic stand!
Another shot and Flash pulled him onstage again to introduce 'Outrageous', i must point out that during each song more and more people were coming back to watch them.
The first trouble of the night came during Niro's guitar solo when a drunken idiot decided to go for his guitar, i jumped up and threw him off as he then tried to grab a mic stand.
Some people really need to learn how to behave and was lucky this time do that with another band at another venue and some roadie or security guy may think of Dimebag and do more than just push you.

One more song and another shot, then the second problem as Ross had to be propped up, that last shot was one too many, as the band continued Ross became worse and eventually collapsed, at first it was still funnny and Sky mouthed to me if he had killed him, i gave the thumbs up, it was his mission to do so and "Death By Sky" was achieved.
However as the band kicked into an amazing improptu version of 'Whole Lotta Rosie', Ross became worse, the band ended their set with 'Johnny B Goode' and were joined by the lads from Hollow Limit.

When the venue cleared it was a mixture of nervous laughter and concern for about half an hour, numerous people came to help including a girl called Jenny, and an off duty policewoman came and took control, we were all hoping that positioned right and a little sleep that Ross would arise, but he did'nt in fact he became cold and totally unresponsive and the officer called for an ambulance.

We then spent the night at a hospital in Tooting where 5 hours later Ross came round.
Much respect to king lizard who were constantly texting to see how he was.
I think everyone was concerned that things had gone a little too far, but in all honesty at the time Ross was having fun (Including laughing whilst being sick and still trying to sing along), so all in all no harm was done and everyone is still alive.
King Lizard (nearly) killed ross..What a headline, they came,they drank,they conquered and played one of their best sets ever, it was raw and alive and they got thrash metal fans dancing!!!The police woman asked an unconcious ross at one point "do you know where you are" if he was awake he could have shouted "In The Jungle Baby"!.

STU

Hollow Limit

Virus

King Lizard