Hooks So Big

by Myche

First, my unedited notes that I took the night of the show:

Opening band Holy Hell - count the bad signs:

* dumb band name
* chick singer
* chick singer who smiles a lot and tries to do a lot of "metal" things
* male band members take themselves way too seriously
* keyboardist
* keyboardist with keyboards turned so we can see him play
* need I continue?

I'm shocked at how polite the Manowar crowd is being to this band. Cleveland thing?

I just looked back and one of the soundguys was nodding off. Bad sign.

Actually, nodded off. Literally asleep.

Best denim metal vest ever: so many patches they overlap. I see Krokus, KISS, Sabbath, Savatage, Megadeth, Circle Jerks, Morbid Angel, Anthrax, Loudness, hell...everyone.

Manowar tattoo on someone's forehead.

Sign of the Hammer graduation cap (homemade - pretty sure not at merch table)?

There's a guy here with a big plastic sword, with, of course, blood dripping on the tip (fake and painted on, I would presume).

A white manowar shirt is not right. Two guys together wearing the same one is even worse. On purpose, or when the one guy picked up the other guy did they both look at each other and say "oh fuck?"

Keyboardist has one electronic drum that he punches from time to time.

The five biggest fans of this band are on stage right now...

I take that back - one electric cymbal.

They just said "good night" but are playing one more. The keyboardist is pumping up the crowd with a keytar.

Oh my, they are doing Holy Diver.

The guitarist looked like Nikki Sixx, but older and more worn out.

(For Hanner - the singer looked like Meredith Voller)

I took no notes while Manowar was on. I couldn't stop smiling. Had to be one of the most fun old school metal shows I've ever seen.

At one point I was standing next to probably the two tallest guys there. Thank god they weren't in front of me.

The guy next to me was such a metal specimen. Had to be every bit of 6'6", dark, vikingesque, long hair, and freaking arms as big as my thighs. When I had my arms raised and he did, his were at least a foot higher. He was into it. Looked like a nice guy, but I would have expected him to speak monosyllabically.

I never saw him talk through the whole show, and we never gestured to each other, but did bump each other a couple times while pumping fists, etc. I was not worried that he would be bothered by my bumps - probably didn't even feel them.

After the show, they played some majestic Manowar song and most people stayed and sang along. It was pretty intense. Then after that the big guy turns and we clasp fists - "great show" I say. One of the guys he's with is teary-eyed. I walk away a bit and the big guy has his head down on the rail by the soundboard where we were standing. Exhausted? Emotional? Doesn't matter...

Additional Notes - 03/14/11

Not a ton to add, but thought I would add a little color on the Manowar show itself:

* Joey tells crowd to stop crowd surfing or, I think, he would kick somebody's ass. Did the trick.

* Battle Hymns in entirety, but slightly out of order. Can't blame them for kicking things off with the song "Manowar."

* First song after Battle Hymns is "Brothers of Metal", one of my faves.

* I knew a lot more of the songs that they played than I thought I would, but learned each unfamiliar one pretty well by the end the song.

* Bass solo w/ Battle Hymns William Tell overture - awesome.

* Guitar solo ending with guitarist dropping to his knees and laying all the way back - I've seen that on a DVD and it hurts MY knees every time.

* As I've seen on a DVD - Joey pulls off each of his bass strings and gives them to crowd members. Mostly women I think, as one he mouthed "I'm going to fuck you."

* As a first-time audience member of a Manowar show, I would have to say that it was a great setlist. You got what you wanted: anthems out the wazoo.

* Most of the songs played had the words Heavy, Metal, Loud, Kill, and of course Manowar. It's easy to poke fun at this, but you know, it works for me. Thankfully not every band out there does this, but I doubt any band does it better than Manowar...