SPECIAL LIVE REPORT - Overkill at O2 Academy, Islington - London

\r\nOverkill at O2 Academy, Islington - London
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\r\nBand: Overkill
\r\nDate: 25/02/2010
\r\nVenue: O2 Academy, Islington - London
\r\nGuests: Suicidal Angels, Savage Messiah and Cripper
\r\nTicket price: £16.00 (17.90 €)
\r\nReport / Photos: Jason “Mustaine” Kasioptas\r\n

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\r\nLive report:
\r\nArriving at the O2 Academy around 14.20 I caught up with Bobby (Overkill) outside the venue. We had a little chat as he asked me how the “Ironbound” album was and if I liked it. Bobby is very approachable and friendly person. He signed my CD (Overkill - Ironbound) and had a picture taken without any problems.
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\r\nAfter that “event” I end up catching up with my brothers Suicidal Angels where we had a good time chatting and making jokes. Here all the bands helped each other to set up the stage and move the instruments from one place to another. Once everything was in position, Overkill went on the stage for their sound check. Bobby just walked into the stage, took off his jacket and just delivered the song perfectly just like that. I was blown any showing me that this band has been doing this for a very long time.
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\r\nOnce the stage and all the sound checks have taken place, I then spent the time with Suicidal Angels until just before the doors opened.
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\r\nWithout further unnecessary words, here’s the experience:
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\r\nCRIPPER
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\r\nThe German thrash metal band walked on the stage with a female vocalist. To be honest I didn’t know what to expect. At this point the venue only had about 40 to 50 people. Once Cripper started playing was an instant head-banging. I really enjoyed this band and I am looking forward for buying their album and see them again live. Some of the songs that they performed were “I”, “Shotgun”, “Fuck You” and “Trapped” (if I am not mistaken).
\r\nMost of the crowd was “dead” throughout their time on stage. Britta (the singer) tried to wake up the crowd by coming off the stage and singing by the barrier. Never the less Cripper had great thrash songs and excellent sound.
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\r\nSAVAGE MESSIAH
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\r\nAt this point the venue had more people and made me think that this band can be better than Cripper, but how much better? Once everything was ready the British thrashers went on stage. Their sound was excellent but their songs were pretty average. Although the crowd seemed more into them as there were a few pits and some people where singing along with the band. Great sound but my personal opinion is that they were pretty average band.
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\r\nSUICIDAL ANGELS
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\r\nThe moment I have been waiting since 2006, my dream came true. By this time the venue had more people. The band walked on stage and opened with the intro of “Bloodthirsty”, Nick made an announcement “We are Suicidal Angels and I want to see a big circle pit” and then the band continued with the “Bloodthirsty” song. Once that finished the band performed “The Pestilence Of Saints”, “Inquisition”, “Jesus Lies”, “Mourning Of The Cursed”, “Dark Abyss (Your Fate Is Coloured Black)” and finally the set list finished with the amazing song “Apokathilosis”.
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\r\nBefore the band played the last song, they took a moment to thank some specific people “We would like to thank the bands of this tour Cripper, Savage Messiah and Overkill for sharing the stage with them, our sound engineer Nick, our drum tech Jim and our Greek friend here Jason and every body in this venue because they are doing a fantastic job”, after that Nick announced the following “For all the things that might have effect you in the worst kind of ways. All the things you know that can’t DENY, you can’t DEFY, you can’t DESTROY when it comes to the APOKATHILOSIS” by saying these words the song kicked in.
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\r\nSuicidal Angels had excellent sound, you could hear everything. The band performed every song perfectly and they head banged along the songs. The crowd reacted very well to their songs, as there where people head banging and pits throughout the Suicidal Angels songs. Great performance I would like to see them live again at some point.
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\r\nOVERKILL
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\r\nNow for the time that everybody was waiting for. The venue by this time was nearly full. Overkill opened up with the “Green and Black” song from their new album. Once that happened there was an instant panic. Straight after that song Overkill played “Rotten To The Core”. In between songs we where shouting “Overkill - Overkill”, Bobby said “You better stop doing that because you are giving me a hard on” and now you could hear laughter from the crowd. The band performed all the songs amazingly well.
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\r\nThroughout the Overkill time there were stage surfing and non-stop pits and the people at the front where squashed to death. The Overkill set list was the following:
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\r\n\r\n01. The Green And Black
\r\n02. Rotten To The Core
\r\n03. Battle
\r\n04. Wrecking Crew
\r\n05. Hello From The Gutter
\r\n06. Overkill
\r\n07. Ironbound
\r\n08. In Union We Stand
\r\n09. Bare Bones
\r\n10. Skull And Bones
\r\n11. Gasoline Dream
\r\n12. Bring Me The Night
\r\n13. Elimination
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\r\n- Encore -
\r\n14. Necroshine
\r\n15. Old School
\r\n16. Fuck You/ Sonic Reducer/ Fuck You
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\r\nAll the band members where in great shape and all the songs are delivered amazingly. All the fans would enjoy this gig because they covered a big variety of their discography. The best humorous remark that Bobby did was “Well I think that we should play in Sonisphere and why do they call it the “Big 4” without us they are the “Little 4””.
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\r\nThis was a great gig, all the band played amazingly. The sound throughout the gig was amazing at all times you could hear everything, every single detail.\r\n

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