TD

Plus One Magazine

Disturbed

Shinedown

Nottingham Rock City

08/10/08

The Maccabees

Nottingham Rescue Rooms

24/04/07

It's been a while since i've been to a Disturbed gig (must be 2002 since I last saw them on tour with their second album), but I still remember the first time I witnessed their show as their intro had so much impact it's stuck in my brain. The scene, at a Marilyn Manson concert at Birmingham NEC, Disturbed were the support act. The lights dim and some Druids bring on centre stage an electric chair. They then proceed to bring onstage what appears to be a dead body and strap him into the chair (this “dead body” being lead singer David Draiman), all of this so far to the sounds of some atmospheric Gregorian chanting, with the stage bathed in a dark green hue. The monks then proceed to electrocute David back to life with a multitude of lightning special FX, and then the show begins fully. This had to be one of the best concert introductions i've ever witnessed, and is up there alongside some of the best by more major artists.

But enough reminiscing, I have a gig to review...

Unlike Enter Shikari last weekend, I was a little relieved this time to find the age range more varied, but that's not to say they still wasn't as loud! Because as soon as tonight's support act, Shinedown, put their first foot onstage and hit the first chords of 'Devour' hit home, the audience sprang from a calm wave if ignorance to a 30ft high Tsunami of primal screams, fist-in-the-air punching and rock-out hair bobbing. There's no heavy metal or hardcore Screamo here tonight, we have a rare appearance by a true Heavy Rock outfit, musically aching towards late-80s to mid-90s hair rock, set to the gravelly tones of lead singer Brent Smith's Grohl-esque vocal range (while at the same time looking a lot like a young Ozzy). The tsunami of Shinedown's performance never eases off either until they perform track 'Second Chance', a more mellow rock ballad, coupled with much lighter (and mobile phone) waving from the crowd. Some amazing guitarmanship and drum performance woos the crowd even further right up until the end of their 45 minute set. Apparently though, Shinedown are 3 albums-in into their career so i'm surprised that i'd not heard of them until recently but i'm glad that I've had the opportunity to see them at this stage before they eventually (and I would seriously hope) make their name over here further and stamp themselves in the rock halls of fame and fortune. Highly recommended if you like other such similar acts like Foo Fighters or Metallica.

And so to Disturbed, of which my 6 year hiatus from seeing a live gig of theirs has left me with a burning itch worse than a rash to see them again, and I guess so did the whole of the sold out audience in rock city tonight. We were also blessed with another decent intro before the gig kicked in, with David Draiman being brought onstage by an orderly, fully strapped into a straight jacket complete with Hannibal Lecter mouth guard; looks like David's being let loose for the evening then!

Opening with the reverberated chords of 'Perfect Insanity', taken from their latest album “Indestructible”, it's the perfect opener for tonight, especially coupled with the straight-jacketed introduction, swiftly moving on to 'Liberate' from their second album. It's not until though the crowd hears the sirens from the first notes of 'Indestructible' that the audience rupture into a mass wail of grunts and cheers, highlighting what is obviously a mix of the older generation of Disturbed fans with an acceptably high chunk of new fans who have discovered them via their latest album.

Similar primal grunting and cheering resides from the crowd when the Genesis cover of 'Land of Confusion' cries home. It's at this point it leaves me wondering what's happened to the older generation of Disturbed fans? Especially as the majority of the noise is residing from more of the newer tracks than the older ones so far, such as 'Voices' from the first album, which only seems to get a recognition by the older fans. Having said this though, as soon as '10,000 Fists' gets it's airtime, the whole place goes mental, with many a fist punching in the air from everyone.

One thing that I have always liked about Disturbed is their treading of the thin line between Heavy Metal and Hardcore Metal, never actually going fully into either one (although some would say it's more Hard Rock than Heavy Metal), and one thing that is always guaranteed is some amazing guitar work from Dan Donegan and excellent rhythmic percussion and hard drumming from Mike Wengren, making it never a dull moment with a Disturbed gig.

Clichés abound though, it's Mike's high speed frenetic drum solo before the last track of the night, Down With The Sickness, that manages to top everything off for the night. All in all though, yet another sweaty and cramped sold out gig at Rock City.

David asks also during mid-set that he was informed recently that Rock City is THE place to play and it's the place where bands either play when they're either on their way up to stardom or on their way down. Asking the audience where Disturbed is currently, everyone confidently responds with a definite “UP”. Is Disturbed on the up though? I'm not sure, but one thing that I AM sure about, and that is they're definitely not on their way down!