Orange Goblin - London Review

Every year has to come to an end from a gigging perspective. December is traditionally filled with memorable gigs, with bands full of Christmas cheer, and 2021 has been no different. Despite rising COVID-19 cases, and the agitating for restrictions which that inevitably leads to, December has been fun from a live music perspective. It was not as busy as it often is, but filling the weekend before Christmas itself with two great gigs was certainly a fun way to usher in the holidays. Last Friday saw me in Bilston, taking in an excellent show from Vega (see this blog's previous entry for further details), while Saturday took me down to London - for an evening with Orange Goblin at The Underworld in Camden. Despite having to navigate a rather widespread tube strike, which meant that getting back to Acton after an evening in Camden was rather frustrating, London was much the same as usual. Despite the Mayor declaring an emergency (whatever that actually means in practice) in the capital due to COVID-19, most people seemed to still be going about their business. It was warming to see so many revellers out and about on the town, too, and it was certainly something of an antidote to the ever-present doom that has slipped back into the media and public consciousness again over the past month or so. The pessimistic part of me wonders if Saturday's trip to London will be my last gig for a while, but those of us who love live music have to stay positive. Orange Goblin certainly were not going to let the doom dampen their spirits however. Despite losing one of the evening's support acts, Urne, to a positive COVID-19 test, the sold out evening was a night to remember. Writing that, it is funny to think that I have only really become an Orange Goblin fan over the past year or so. I did see the band at one of the iterations of Bloodstock Open Air a few years ago, but it was a gig down in Cornwall back in July that made me a proper fan. I largely went to see Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons, but I also saw it as an opportunity to check out Orange Goblin properly. The band's no-nonsense headline set impressed, however, and since July my appreciation of the band has only increased. I now own most of their albums, and I am pretty well-versed in their music. I certainly have more to learn about the band, but their abrasive brand of old-school heavy metal ticks all of the right boxes - and live is the way to experience them at their best. Many others clearly agree, as the Camden gig was sold out. There were probably a few no-shows, however, but the place was packed out - and the atmosphere throughout was excellent as a result.

Despite being a support act down, the large crowd still had something to enjoy while waiting for Orange Goblin to take to the stage. King Creature, who I have been familiar with for some time being from the South West, are a band that are constantly growing in stature, and their performance was the perfect taster for what was to come later. I saw the band in 2019 supporting Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons, but they seem to have improved since then - and they set about laying waste to The Underworld with their tough brand of heavy, yet melodic, metal. There is a certainly a slightly grungy edge to the band's sound, largely thanks to some Alice in Chains-esque vocal harmonies, but mostly they just play old-fashioned heavy metal - with a slightly more modern twist thanks to some Pantera-inspired riffing. The band's songs are still melodic however, and a big chorus is never too far away. Dave Kellaway (vocals/bass guitar) possesses a powerful voice, which has just enough grit to make him sound like a bona fide metal frontman - but he can still belt out a hook when required. Songs such as Wrath and the relatively low key The Storm included big choruses, many of which also involved the drawling vocal talents of Matt Vincent (guitar/vocals). Kellaway and Vincent's voices melded together nicely throughout, and the songs had real character as a result. Both Vincent and fellow guitarist Mike Stennett made sure that there was plenty of time for soloing too, with all of the song featuring extended guitar workouts - the shredded style of Stennett mixing nicely with Vincent's slightly bluesier edge. It did not take the crowd long to really start appreciating what King Creature were doing either. There was a lot of enthusiasm for the band during the set, and I think that it is fair to say that King Creature made a few new fans as a result of their strong performance.

Although I enjoyed Orange Goblin's set in Cornwall, I was not prepared for just how powerful their set was going to be. Seeing the band at a mini (and sparsely attended) festival is one thing, but seeing them in a club packed full of the Orange Goblin faithful was on another level entirely - and I now understand why the band are seen as living legends of the British metal scene. The show was the last night of the tour, so the band were certainly out to have a good time, and it was the second of two nights in London. Friday night's show had featured songs from the band's first five albums, whereas this one focused on their latest four. I did not know that this was going to be the case, but I was certainly happy to find this out - as the band's more recent work is easily my favourite period in their history. This meant that the stoner/doomier sound that characterises their early albums was largely absent, with the set instead focusing on anthemic, riff-heavy metal - in that old-school style that Orange Goblin truly master. There was still time for deep cuts, however, but the set kicked off in fine fashion with two big sing-a-long numbers. Sons of Salem and the Motörhead-esque The Filthy & the Few got everyone in the mood from the off. The crowd was loud, there was plenty of singing, and the band were on top form. Frontman Ben Ward's voice powered through the venue's speakers, while the riffing and soloing of Joe Hoare (guitar/vocals) drove everything. At one point during the show Ward referred to Hoare as one of the most underrated guitarists of all time, and he is not wrong. Hoare impressed throughout the set, and the lengthier pieces such as the Lovecraftian The Fog and The Ballad of Solomon Eagle showed him at his best - with bluesy solos creeping into every nook and cranny of the songs. The faster-paced rockers allowed him to focus on his riffing, however, with The Wolf Bites Back and Renegade in particular (the latter being dedicated to Lemmy) impressing on that front. New bassist Harry Anderson, who played his first show with the band in Cornwall, has already integrated well with the rest of the band too. He played well in Cornwall, but seemed much more confident in London - often engaging in banter with the crowd, while also laying down the band's snaking basslines with ease. It was great to hear the band pull out a few deeper cuts too, and the latter part of the set included excellent renditions of the heavy Cities of Frost and Death of Aquarius. Elsewhere, however, They Come Back (Harvest of Skulls) had everyone singing - as well as moshing around the venue's large support pillar that is stuck in the middle of the main dancefloor. This was fun to see, and by this point the atmosphere was at an all-time high. Following Death of Aquarius, however, the curfew was looming - but there was time for two more. The furious The Devil's Whip had everyone singing again, and the band's traditional set-closer Red Tide Rising brought a crushing 80 or so minutes of music to a powerful close. The setlist was:

Sons of Salem

The Filthy & the Few

Acid Trial

The Fog

The Ballad of Solomon Eagle

The Wolf Bites Back

Stand for Something

Cities of Frost

Into the Arms of Morpheus

Renegade

They Come Back (Harvest of Skulls)

Death of Aquarius

The Devil's Whip

Red Tide Rising

I had expected to enjoy my night with Orange Goblin, but the band's performance was so powerful and the atmosphere was so good that it turned into a really memorable night. The band might not be one that I listen to all the time, but I have really enjoyed properly getting into them of late. I will certainly make the effort to go and see them as a headline act again, and with a new album on the way there will be more music from the four-piece to look forward to next year.