METAL-BLAST

[*ech*]

The Olympia is one of my favorite concert halls. It's an old theater that has welcomed every major artist over the years: The Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Who, Jimi Hendrix, Alice Cooper, Black Sabbath, you name it.

The opening act was a crappy singer called Jessie Evans who always gets raving reviews because she "puts on a show". Which means she likes to dress silly and dance like a retard. She has no songs, sings in a very irritating antonal voice, and the only muscian is a drummer who apparently knows only one beat. Everything else is sampled and looped save for a few incompetent saxophone phrases she spurts out here and there. I guess you could call her Lady Gaga for the indie crowd.

But after the traditional (at the Olympia at least) 20 minutes intermission, we were in for a treat.

I last saw Iggy and the Stooges in 2004 for their first-ever parisian concert, and they blew me away. THE single most rock'n'roll show I've ever witnessed.

6 years later, and with Ron Asheton gone, I wasn't expecting that show to be anywhere as good. Yet...

They did it. How? Simple: Iggy. He is an animal. The wildest showman in rock. Jumping into the crowd every chance he gets, taking a beating, giving a beating, inviting gozens of people onstage, running head first into amplifiers, musicians, etc... All at once ridiculous, glorious, pathetic, charismatic, sexual, innocent, violent, sweet, crazy, crazy, CRAZY!!!!

The downside for me is that I am not nearly as attached to the 1973 repertoire as I am to the first two records. Not that the Raw Power-era is lost on me, I do love it but I liked the set-list from six years ago better. But you can't replace a guitarist like Ron ASheton. Not the best slinger around, but with a primal quality that his replacement James Williamson lacks.

Not that Williamson was being subtle or playing like Paco de Lucia, mind you. Oddly enough the most intense moment was the mid-tempo Open Up And Bleed.

The death of Asheton and the focus on a different repertoire meant things were shaken up a little: Steve McKay now stays onstage all the time and blows his sax, harp or keys on every number. A welcome addition in my opinion, but not in that of many of the metalheads in attendence. They'll learn.

So, yeah, another unforgettable night of rock n' roll. They ended their set with No Fun. They were wrong. It was trumendous fun.

1. Raw Power
2. Kill City
3. Search And Destroy
4. Gimme Danger
5. Cock In My Pocket
6. Shake Appeal
7. 1970
8. L.A. Blues
9. Night Theme / Skull Ring / Beyond The Law
10. Johanna
11. I Got A Right
12. I Wanna Be Your Dog
13. Your Pretty Face Is Going To Hell
14. Open Up And Bleed

Encore:
15. Death Trip
16. Penetration
17. No Fun
18. Funhouse
_________________

[Aerosmith87]

you go to a lot of good shows it seems...i'm jealous.

[*ech*]

[Stick Trick]

You write good reviews too Ech. Keeping my fingers crossed for their show in Atlantic City in August. Sounds like it's going to be one I'll remember forever.