PlanetMosh Keeping it Metal
Tonight’s gig opened with a set from The men that will not be blamed for nothing. I’d seen them at Download little more than a week earlier and enjoyed their set, so it was nice to get another chance to see them, and to see them with a longer set (and in a nice dry venue as opposed to a wet muddy field). A steampunk rock/punk band with fun and intelligent songs (how often do you hear a band sing about 19th century engineers, or Charles Darwin) they really are a good live band and I enjoyed their set enough that I headed to the merch stand afterwards to buy their CDs.
Tonight was the first of two solstice shows from Fields of the Nephilim, with the second due to take place later this year on the date of the winter solstice. FIelds of the Nephilim are a band that doesn’t just repeatedly tour with the same setlist – instead their shows are more sporadic and they do have a habit of making sure each is special. Tonight’s show was billed as being based on the band’s 1990 album, Elizium, and that’s what we got with the band playing the album almost in it’s entirety (only “Submission” doesn’t get played tonight) before playing some of their classic songs that no show would be complete without.
Fields of the Nephilim fans are a dedicated bunch and when the band plays a show the venue is normally sold out, and while tonight’s show may not have been completely sold out it was still a large crowd once the nearby pubs emptied out and fans came into the venue. A common sight at a gig is someone sitting on a friend’s shoulders, but at a Fields of the Nephilim gig the fans tend to do things a bit more ambitiously and it wasn’t long before the first person was standing on the shoulders of friends.
As always the band are surrounded by a cloud of smoke – not as thick as the one the sisters of mercy have as you are at least able to see the band tonight, and that thick smoke does suit the atmosphere. As always the band tend to stand and play leaving Carl McCoy to be the centre of attention as he moves around and leans on the mic stand as he delivers his vocals.
New single, Prophecy gets an airing and it sounds great, before the band end the night with three of their most popular songs – “Moonchild”, “Dawnrazor” and “Last exit for the lost”.
Fields of the Nephilim are a band that never sound dated, and are always impressive live. I’m already looking forward to their next show.
Setlist:
(Dead but Dreaming)
For Her Light
At the Gates of Silent Memory
(Paradise Regained)
Sumerland
Wail of Sumer
And There Will Your Heart Be Also
Psychonaut
Mourning Sun
Prophecy
Moonchild
Dawnrazor
Last Exit for the Lost
