Crashdiet and JettBlack at O2 Academy, Islington, April 27 2013

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Live Photos and Gig Review Credit: Adrian Hextall (Photographer/Live Gig reporter Myglobalmind Webzine

With their new album The Savage Playground released earlier this year, Swedish heavy metal sensations Crashdïet announce a UK spring tour with support coming from Jettblack. This is the live report from their O2 Academy at Islington performance on April 27th, 2013.

A 5 band bill for £15… what can possibly go wrong? Well, we arrive at the O2 Academy in Islington at 6pm to discover the first band of the day Fallen Mafia have been and gone. Doors opened at 5pm as Saturday night is Club Night so we also have a curfew of 10pm for the headliners.

Next up are Hell in the Club from Italy. Playing songs mainly from their debut album “Let the games begin”, the band hit the ground running. Clearly inspired by a mix of Guns ‘n’ Roses, Motley Crue, with a modern European flair thrown into the mix the have the (now 50% full) venue bouncing and joining in with the obligatory chant-along. Well received and with a new album due later this year, let’s hope they return to these shores soon.

JettBlack

As co-headliners Jettblack have the home team advantage, hailing from High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, and arrive on stages to a crowd chanting their name. The day of the concert has been one of the warmest in the year so far and accordingly, Jettblack kick off their set with “Two Hot Girls”. The crowd respond as one and the room can be heard singing “Save Me , Save Me” every time Will Stapleton throws them the feed of “… coming out in the sunlight”. A great opener followed by a storming set that sees lead vocals traded between will and guitarist Jon Dow. Both men have different vocal styles that complement each other perfectly which leaves the bands options for future albums wide open. A mid set break with ballad “Prison of Love” by now has the crowd eating out of the band’s hand and they finish their relatively short set a few songs later with recent single from their second album “Raining Rock”. Special mention should be made to both sound quality and lighting for their set. They may have been playing on 11 but the sound was crisp and clear from the start to the end of the set.

A shame then that the same could not be said for Crashdiet. If JettBlack had been playing on 11 then the aim now appeared to be the need to play “1 louder”. Concert goers these days seem to be more aware of the damage excessive volume can cause and there seems to be a vast number of people suddenly sporting orange ear plugs. The sound as a result is muddied throughout the gig which is a shame as the band are on form and full of energy tonight.

CrashDiet

Lead singer Simon Cruz now holds the record for the recording the 2 albums with the band, who lost Dave Lepard (RIS) after the stunning debut and Oliver Twisted who changed his name and went back to his now very successful band Reckless Love. Cruz spits and snarls his way around the stage, his blue Mohican glowing under the glare of the spotlights.

All of the crowd pleasers are played in the short time that the band are allowed to be on stage Breakin’ the Chainz, It’s a Miracle and Riot in Everyone from the Dave Lepard fronted debut sit neatly with material from the recent Cruz fronted albums with singles California, Generation Wild and Cocaine Cowboys being very well received by the crowd. Cruz finishes the set by stage diving off the top of the speaker stacks straight into the arms of the faithful.

An excellent set let down only by the sound mix, the band take their bows and depart leaving a heaving sweaty group of people to spill into the street in the cool night air.