Metal Reviews

Well everyone, My son and I are headed off to the Arch Enemy, Machine Head, and Throwdown show tonight. I will happily report tomorrow on this metal juggernaut of a show. I can't wait.....aahhhhh Angela.

So cool i wished my dad brought me to a metal show...

Have fun!

Hopefully the new AE material will be more interesting live...

Well to say that I am pissed off would be the biggest understatement of the year!! My son and I drove 5 hours round trip, we found the venue, and Arch Enemy canceled just seconds before they were due to perform. Can you believe that??!!

They were about to take the stage. We saw Angela Gossow and Michael Abbott walking about in the back getting ready and before we knew it, they were taking apart AE drum kit. A local radio stooge walks out on-stage and announces that Angela is suddenly suffering from some form of asthmatic reaction to the cigarette smoke and thus AE will not be performing.

Interestingly enough while they were setting up for AE a different radio stooge announced that if anyone wanted to smoke then they needed to go smoke in the rear of the concert hall. She said that if we wanted AE to perform then we needed to consider the wishes of the band.

Is this too much of an assumption on my part but isn't every venue just thick with cigarette smoke? I know every venue I've been in (small clubs not arenas) allow smoking. If you don't want to sing (growl) around smoke then don't play in a metal band. I'm not advocating smoking. I don't smoke. However, every show I've ever come home from I know I smell like a damn ashtray.

So, $60.00 gone..non-refundable, $25.00 in gas, and a total of 7 hours wasted. I think my days of concert going just ended.

Angela was struggling very badly when I saw them at Bloodstock last month (two new songs - one impressive, one not), she had to quit screaming and just sort of shout the lyrics quite a few times. She may have a real problem

Yeah she's crap hur hur, thanks guys.

Bring. Back. Liiva.

I'm really not protesting or calling into question the validity of any actual ailment that Angela may indeed have. I'm sure that she may very well legitimately have respiratory issues. My problem with it is that if it is indeed a valid reoccurring health issue then take care of it before hitting the road and causing cancellations and/or poor performances as you just described.

My other issue is that as of this morning I have not heard of or read any information that AE may schedule a "make-up" date. I hope they do because the majority of that crowd was there to see them.

Will this experience deter me from seeing further shows? Probably not. I was just so pissed and disappointed last night.

Man that sucks. One would like the band to atleast have the courtesy to go up on stage and explain the situation themselves, perhaps even play a few songs instrumentally. I'd take that over nothing for sure.

I'm not sure anyone is to blame though, it's just too bad the fans suffer.

Oh, don't misunderstand, you should be pissed off.

Wait a damn minute, I've just remembered the bastards did the exact same thing to me! Sweden Rock Festival, 2005, we're standing at the Rock Stage, waiting for Arch Enemy, when we notice the banner at the back of the stage says "Mustasche." Very odd, I think. Then four musicians run onstage. And I'm thinking - "Looks like they'll start playing and Angela will appear in a few seconds - shit, has one of the Amott's cut his hair shirt?"

Then when one of the guitarists started singing I realised we were indeed watching Mustasche. they had pulled out at the very last second because Chris Amott had quit the band.