Milton Keynes Pitz, 05/06/09

Ah it warms my heart to see so many metalheads around the Pitz, my local venue! And it is therefore somewhat unsurprising to learn that most of the people here today are not from Milton Keynes at all, instead coming down from London with Virus and Gama Bomb. Such is the scene here! However it did show me that the London thrash scene, fans and bands alike, are a really friendly and welcoming group of people!

Having got in late because my interview ran over I missed the first band and now can’t remember who they were, I think it was Metal Messiah. Hmmm. Even so, I take up a decent spot to watch reformed 80’s thrashers Virus.

After a 20-year absence Virus return with a new line up and a new EP on the way. The only remaining member of the original band is vocalist/lead guitarist Coke McFinlay, recruiting Dave Sherwood on Drums, Matt Cooper on Bass and Sam Brandon on Rhythm Guitar. The years away have obviously not affected the band (Coke) as they spit out a brutal blackened thrash assault. I am not familiar with Virus’s material, but I was very impressed with what they played. I will definitely be checking them out! There was many a bulleted belted old-skool thrasher going nuts for them in the front few rows, but the rest of the crowd seem to stand perfectly still, not really paying attention. However as the set continues, more and more seem interested and by the end Virus have definitely won them over.

Gama Bomb are absolutely on fire tonight, they storm on to the stage and rip out a thrilling set of break neck thrash. The fans whip up an energetic pit and there is a sea of hair whipping around to greet them. Playing a good spread from their back catalogue the band look as if they are having as good a time as the crowd. Despite playing so fast as to out do even Children of Bodom in the speeding up stakes, the band are incredibly tight and barely drop a note. Or as far as I can hear, I was having too much of a good time! Gama Bomb bring an amazingly fun atmosphere to the stage, one that is sorely lost from a lot of metal bands these days. The band air three new songs tonight, all of which keep their trademark hyper speed thrash attack and are very well received by the fans. The new album is obviously shaping up well! As well as the many other reasons to see Gama Bomb live, Philly Byrne is an incredibly gifted front man. He hits every note live as well has be does on the records, and he also has great charisma from the stage that instantly endears you to the band, and gives him a great presence on stage, injecting the band with yet more energy. Probably one of the best front men I have seen in metal for a very long time! I strongly advise anyone to go and see this band; even if you don’t like thrash, they will probably convert you!

After the complete awesomeness that was Gama Bomb, Lawnmower Deth were going to have trouble living up to billing as headliners. It doesn’t start well when an old man appears on stage and gives us about 25 minutes of unnervingly un-PC comedy before dropping his trousers, telling us to fuck ourselves and waddling away.

Lawnmower Deth completely bemuse me, in a set that included some very basic 80’s thrash/punk, the shortest Acid Regein reunion ever, starting a song a few times over because the drummer kept fucking it up, the turtle dance was it? Everyone got on the floor and waved their legs in the air; and a ukulele soloing ending in a smashing that even the singer didn’t know was going to happen, I just got very lost. At the end of the set I still couldn’t work out whether I thought they were comedy genius or complete shit.