Soil / American Headcharge / Panic Cell / Stuck Mojo
8 February 2006
Koko, London
"Mojo are on in 10mins", casually mentions a friend, causing me to nearly spit out my mouthful of beer as I`m finishing my pint before joining the queue outside the Koko. Fozzy in the UK, tonight`s promoter Noisescape also promoted Mojo`s last tour. …hmm, that must be Stuck Mojo then!
Indeed it was and as surprise openers they were on scorching form, easily upping the ante on their last London appearance, which was shackled by the constraints of small Garage stage. Showing their youthfulness, most of the crowd have no idea who this is, causing Bonz to cry "I know it`s Wednesday but c`mon! We are STUCK MO-JO". That clarified they were off again with Rich Ward spending half of Trick mid-air.
Ward`s guitar was absolutely raging and much more prominent than the last show. His over the top of the neck solo during Throw The Switch was jaw dropping. I`d read his sound can often be a barometer to his performance and everything was at the top of the scale tonight.
Bonz`s close contact with the audience apparently led him to receive vice grip around his balls and dick from one girl, or in his words, "A right coochie shot!". His offer to return the favour was not accepted.
In fact the whole band were on top form and fair to say they stole the entire show.
Stuck Mojo set list included:
Trick / Rising / Raise The Deadman / Twisted / Not Promised Tomorrow / Throw The Switch
Panic Cell vocalist Luke Bell struggled tonight. The band had already dropped out of an earlier show on the tour due to him losing his voice and tonight he valiantly battles through a short four song set.
The set alternates between two new songs and two old songs. The new material is very promising indeed, retaining the band`s catchy hooks but perhaps being a little heavier. The second of the two, which I believe was called Force Field, breaks into a slow heavy riff at it`s conclusion with Harj adding a Kerry King like squealing solo.
The two old favourites comprise Save Me, which kick started a big pit and saw Luke in the pit letting the crowd handle the vocal, and Away From Here which was dedicated to a lucky Kerrang competition winner who bagged himself a whole host of prizes.
Despite Luke`s limitations, the short set is as storming as ever with the rest of the band firing on all cylinders.
Panic Cell set list:
New Song / Save Me / Forced Down / Away From Here
With the P.A. belting out the Prong classic Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck, I was enjoying the evening until that song was cut short and American Headcharge took to the stage. Vocalist Martin Cock wore a mask for opening number All Wrapped Up with the band putting over an "Ohh, aren`t we weird and kooky" vibe.
Pledge Allegiance saw some action down the front, but by Take What I`ve Taken I was plain bored. Cock then lived up to his name by flicking a cigarette butt into the crowd, not clever. Clearly American Headcharge had an audience tonight. I however wasn`t one of them.
American Headcharge set list:
All Wrapped Up / Pledge Allegiance / Take What I`ve Taken / Dirty / Effigy / Americunt / Downstream / Ridicule / Fall / Violent Reaction / Just So You Know/ Loyalty / To Be Me / Seamless
With the late start and extra band on the bill things were running very late and as a result I only got to see four songs by Soil before I had to leave. It`s therefore very difficult to give a fair review. However, what I did see was both impressive and well received by the audience. New frontman AJ Cavalier seemed confident in his role and guitarist Shaun Glass was feeding off the crowd, bouncing around the stage.
As new song Fight For Life was fitting snugly against the band`s older material, myself, and it seemed quite a few others, had to head for the exit ruing the late stage time.
Soil set list included:
Cross My Heart / Give It Up / Wide Open / Fight For Life
LINKS:
Soil
American Headcharge
Panic Cell
Stuck Mojo
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