Diamond Head - Plymouth Review

If attending a third gig in as many weeks is anything to go by, the world is, hopefully, healing. Multiple gig months were the norm for me prior to March 2020, so August 2021 is the most 'normal' that I have felt for quite some time. Even Bloodstock Open Air is underway as I write this, which I am somewhat regretting not getting a ticket for despite the overall line-up not being wholly to my taste (one, sadly, cannot do everything however), which goes to show that live rock and metal in the UK truly is back. If I had gone to Bloodstock however, I would not be putting my thoughts down in words about yesterday's truly excellent showing from the NWOBHM legends Diamond Head in Plymouth last night. I would have seen Diamond Head at Bloodstock had I gone, but I doubt that they would have been afforded the time on stage that they enjoyed in Plymouth - or received such a welcome. The venue was The Junction, a pub on Mutley Plain which occasionally manages to attract a band that would usually play much larger venues. Diamond Head are one such band. While those of us who live in Plymouth often have to travel if we want to take in live music, particularly metal, we are lucky to have a venue like The Junction on our doorstep. Since moving to Plymouth a few years ago I have visited the venue numerous times, and a good night is always guaranteed to be had. For a small venue, with a low stage and strange floor levels, the overall experience is always great. The bands always sound great when performing there, and the strange setup only adds to its overall charm. It is a proper, old-fashioned rock pub in that regard, and I am very happy that it managed to successfully negotiate the COVID-19 pandemic and re-open its doors. I am not quite sure why Diamond Head, a Midlands-based band, chose Plymouth as their location to warm-up for a Midlands-based festival, but those of us in the South West certainly were not complaining when the show was announced a couple of months ago. It was to be the band's first show since March 2020, and also their first Plymouth show for a long time. I tried to find out when the band last played in the city, but I could not find anything online giving a date. I would imagine that the band played in Plymouth back in the 1980s, but they certainly have not ever since I have been interested in the band since the mid-2000s when I saw the band in Exeter supporting Thin Lizzy. As expected, Diamond Head's first trip to Plymouth for a long time attracted a strong crowd to The Junction - and everyone in attendance was in fine voice throughout, which meant that the atmosphere in the venue was excellent.

Before Diamond Head took to the stage however, the crowd were treated to a short, but punchy, set from the Newton Abbot-based three-piece Ethyrfield. The band have been making a bit of name for themselves locally over the last couple of years, and have recently released their debut album In Delirium which I have been enjoying quite a bit over the past month or so. The band, who fuse grunge and progressive metal to create a unique sound, only had time to play five songs, but they made their limited time count with a powerful showing that particularly showcased the talents of Ben Cornish (guitar/vocals). Their sound mix was a little murky at times (it is refreshing to see that some things have not changed and support bands can still get the short end of the stick), which meant that Zach Cornish's (vocals/bass guitar) voice was sometimes a bit buried in the mix, but Ben's guitar was always pushed to the fore. This meant that this opening riff on Sunstroke, and his many excellent solos, were highlights of the set. Despite the dodgy sound, the band still put on a good showing. I saw the band a couple of times, also as a support act, in 2018 but I think that they have come on a long way since then. The newer material is, in my opinion, stronger than the material found on their two EPs - so it was wise that they featured a few songs from In Delirium in the set. The Hunter was very powerful, with its driving riff hitting home, while the more dynamic Serenity allowed the band's more progressive side to shine. It is a shame that the murky mix robbed the song of some of its nuance, but the relative complexity was still there for all to see. The short set came to a close with the 7-string riffing of Bag of Bones, and the crowd's reaction suggested that the job had been well done. I would not be surprised if the band made themselves a few new fans off the back of this set, I am keen to see how far Ethyrfield can progress - as they certainly have the talent to do so. The setlist was:

Sunstroke

Free the Dog

The Hunter

Serenity

Bag of Bones

The crowd did not have too long to wait following Ethyrfield's set finishing before Diamond Head took to the stage. It was clear from the off that the band were really up for the gig, and there was little evidence of any rustiness following the enforced break from touring. The roar that greeted the band as they took to the stage probably helped however, and they proceeded to take the roof off with a 14-song set that was packed full of Diamond Head classics, some newer material, and even a couple of songs that the band had never played live previously. They were clearly out to treat the Plymouth crowd, and those in attendance responded in kind by singing along to every song in the set. Even the newer songs, such as the opening cut Death by Design, were greeted like old friends. It is always great to hear new songs by older band welcomed by a crowd, so it was clear that the Plymouth fans had done their homework on the band's current era - headed by the excellent frontman Rasmus Bom Andersen who worked the crowd effortlessly throughout the band's 90 or so minutes on stage. Andersen has been in the band for five years at this point, but he has already made the frontman spot his own. He has the perfect voice to tackle the band's classic material, as an early rendition of the old single Sweet and Innocent proved, but he is also a great songwriter who has already struck up a great rapport with the band's founder Brian Tatler (guitar/vocals) - who had a huge smile on his face throughout the evening has he peeled off riff after riff. The early part of the set was dominated by newer songs. Bones from 2016's Diamond Head went down a storm, before a live debut of The Coffin Train from the 2019 album of the same name showcased the band's current line-up can write songs to rival the original line-up's efforts.

Despite the love shown for the newer songs however, it is fair to say that it were the classics that were best received. In the Heat of the Night prompted a large sing-a-long during the opening section, as did the fast-paced Lightning to the Nations. Songs like Lightning to the Nations show why Diamond Head had such an influence on the burgeoning thrash movement of the early 1980s, and the crowd - especially those down the front - certainly enjoyed the song's pace with some headbanging. The lengthy Sucking My Love showcased the band's more progressive side, despite the Spinal Tap-esque lyrics, before another early single in the form of Shoot Out the Lights brought more singing during the punchy chorus. By this point the set was one classic track after another. The punky It's Electric was lapped up by the crowd, before Karl Wilcox (drums) teased Rainbow's Stargazer before launching into the dynamic and multi-layered Helpless - a song which is also quite punky but built on a large number of different and interesting riffs. There was again plenty of singing to be heard during the choruses; before the band rounded out the main set with a rendition of Metallica's No Remorse - taken from the Lightning to the Nations 2020 release and another live debut. It seemed a fun way of paying Metallica back for making a number of Diamond Head's songs staples in the metal scene, and everyone in attendance had a great time singing along. A short step off stage built the tension for the sole encore - a rendition of the band's most famous song Am I Evil?. It is fair to say that the crowd were at their loudest during Am I Evil? and the multi-layered song went down a storm. Tatler's riffing and soloing throughout was excellent, and it capped off a fantastic set with aplomb. The band seemed a bit emotional as the night came to an end, and that was a testament to how pleased the band were to be back doing what they do best - playing live. The setlist was:

Death by Design

Sweet and Innocent

Bones

The Coffin Train

The Messenger

In the Heat of the Night

Set My Soul on Fire

Lightning to the Nations

Sucking My Love

Shoot Out the Lights

It's Electric

Helpless

No Remorse [Metallica cover]

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Am I Evil?

I was expecting to enjoy Diamond Head's set a lot, but the band put on a show that was much more powerful than I imagined it would be. It was great to see the band so fired up and pleased to be back on the road - and the large crowd's reaction certainly helped them to put on a show to remember. It is certainly a gig that will live long in the memory, and it is definitely the best gig of the year so far. I hope to see Diamond Head back in Plymouth in the future, and with a lot coming up at The Junction over the next couple of months it is certainly a good time to be a rock fan in Plymouth.