------
------
I was surprised when I discovered this Diamond Head date on my show-going radar - after all, as NWOBHM stalwarts, they're responsible for directly inspiring early Metallica, and I had no clue they were still touring at this point. Lars Ulrich is often quoted as saying, "when we made Kill 'Em All, it was just Diamond Head and Motorhead." That right there is more than enough reason to shell out the big bucks to see these chaps live, right?
Well, sorta. At the time I bought the ticket, I wasn't aware that there was only *one* original member in this incarnation of Diamond Head, although I suppose if you're going to pick just one member to see live, guitarist Brian Tatler would be a good choice. Of course, original singer / lyricist Sean Harris and Tatler are considered by many to be the Jagger / Richards of NWOBHM, legendarily composing their influential riffs and lyrics in Tatler's bedroom at his parents' home, so it would've been cool if he were performing, but apparently these guys hate each other, blah blah blah.
I was still pretty exhausted from the previous evening's double shot of shows, so I got a late start on this one. I arrived at Saint Vitus right in the middle of Canadian power metal band Cauldron's classic metal-inspired set of riffs, nimble lead playing, and blinding drumming. The packed room seemed to appreciate them, as well - solid opening act.
Diamond Head's set followed, and, not gonna lie, although I've listened to their better-known studio stuff, the only songs I'm really familiar with are the Metallica-associated songs ("Am I Evil," "The Prince," "Helpless," "It's Electric," "Sucking My Love"), and I have to say the band made a serious error in judgment by playing none of those until the second half of the set. People were getting restless. Also, it's tough to pull off performing songs about demons, witches, and such when your singer so closely resembles Carson from Queer Eye.
The second half of the set paid off, however. The best of Diamond Head's material is comprised of some great fuckin' riffage, with my personal favorites being "The Prince" and "Am I Evil," with the latter (of course) being an on-off staple in Metallica's live sets throughout the years. The crowd had clearly come to hear these tracks in particular, too, and responded eagerly to each of those songs' unmistakable opening riffs. A couple of middle-aged Polish chicks even hopped up on the stack of gear to the right of the stage, rocking the fuck out to much to the delight of the band. Overall, a worthwhile set, even if they probably played too much midtempo stuff I wasn't familiar with.
------
