PlanetMosh Keeping it Metal
Walking into the Southampton venue, ‘Mo’Club’ I found myself confused as I approached. The venue is situated in between two car companies and in the middle of an industrial estate. The front of the venue includes a large image of a roller-skating disco venue with ‘Jiving’ and ‘Bollywood’ as themed nights out which to me seemed bizarre as a venue for a night of Metal. However as I entered, the size and the crowds of people who varied from all ages made me feel like I was truly at a metal gig.
Klone started the night off with their Tool-meets-Dream Theatre, (but think heavier), brand of metal. Despite the venue only being half full the band were confident and received a warm welcome from the crowd, who stood with their heads banging and appeared to be enjoying themselves. The mix of full, heavy guitars and powerful drums created haunting atmospherics and hypnotic rhythms which seemed to capture the audience’s full attention. They finished on a brilliant cover of Bjork’s ‘Army of Me’ which left the crowds wide eyed and smiling and was by far one of the best covers I have heard in a long time.
Next to take the stage were Trepalium. These guys found no problem in whipping the crowd into a frenzy of moving bodies and head bangers. With their groovy death metal anthems it was hard not to be taken back by the band. As lead singer, Cédric Punda, announced “it’s another boogie death metal song” the crowd cheered with delight and carried on ‘boogying’ away, this happened several times throughout and each time was received by a louder, happier cheer. Half way through the set, the crowd were witness to music that could only be described as something you expect to hear in old silent films such as an old episode of Laurel and Hardy, but it was soon interrupted by the bands powerful sound and charisma. Trepalium left the stage having made a great impression on those in attendance.
The atmosphere in the venue soon became one of sheer excitement as we waited for the headliners, Gojira, to take the stage. The crowd began to merge together pushing closer and closer to the front of the stage, which was followed by a wave of chants. Soon enough, the lights went down and then as the opening riff to ‘Explosia’ began to play, the crowd erupted into a mass of flying bodies and sweaty mosh pits.
The tone and energy set by the opener was furthered and amplified by old favourites such as ‘Backbone’, ‘Flying Whales’ and ‘The Art of Dying’ which tore open more pits as the crowd truly got involved with the music. Half way through the set brothers, Joe (vocals) and Mario (drummer) switched places and took up each others ‘instruments’ for one song which was received by cheers from everyone in the venue and neither did a bad job!
The band ended the night on ‘The Gift of Guilt’ taken from their new album which was truly a fantastic way to end the set as the crowd went mental one last time showing the French what we’re really made of. Last but not least, following the brilliant and energetic set the audience was told that it was Guitarist Christian Andreu’s birthday in which the band took a comedic approach by throwing a pie in his face as the audience sang Happy Birthday before departing the venue.
In a nutshell all this made for one fucking brutal show and the soul pummelling line-up delivered the goods. The French really know how to make a scene and left the Southampton fans physically drained but still wanting more.
Gojira setlist:
Explosia
Flying Whales
Backbone
The Heaviest Matter of the Universe
L’Enfant Sauvage
The Art of Dying
Toxic Garbage Island
Wisdom Comes
Oroborus
Drum Solo
The Axe
Vacuity
Encore:
The Gift of Guilt
