When it was announced that Chiodos were going to play the Water Rats in Kings Cross the reaction we had was a mix of excitement and slight worry. For those that don’t know Water Rats is a small venue at the back of a pub without a real stage. Whilst this is perfect for most bands – and it meant the crowd would get up close with Chiodos – we were slightly worried for the carnage that would unfold.
First up were Japanese troops Coldrain: now they only came to the UK for the first time a few months ago but you’d be forgiven for not realising this as half the crowd throw their heads about and blind the other half of the crowd with their hair! The bands stage presence matches their enthusiasm: larger than life. The mixture of clean and unclean vocals from frontman Masato at times seem a little strained but overall their dynamic metal seems to hit the spot.
Regardless of how much the crowd got into Coldrain it doesn’t really matter. Most people are here for one thing, and one thing only. Chiodos! As they ball onstage the venue melts into a sea of people as they march straight into ‘You Are The Only You Talk About’. It doesn’t matter it’s a D.R.U.G.S track as it fits as much into a Chiodos set as anything else they play. “London, I expected to be wearing a lot less clothes by now” Craig Owens says to the crowd as he pushes himself and everyone else to their complete limits.
If someone had sat down and pin pointed every Chiodos track they wanted to hear tonight even then they wouldn’t have been able to create a set list as amazing as tonight’s. Despite their new album ‘Devil’ being out in a mere matter of weeks the band only play ‘Ole Fishlips Is Dead Now’ and ‘Behvis Bullock’ not forgetting that most of the crowd are likely to be long time veteran fans. The new tracks are greeted with the same level of enthusiasm and excitement as older tracks such as ‘There’s No Penguins In Alaska’ and ‘Undertaker’.
After 13 years the band know how to keep a crowd entertained from banter curtsy of Craig to a sing-song happy birthday- complete with cake- for guitarist Thomas Erak’s birthday. There are stage divers, crowd surfers and near complete room mosh pits: it’s a sight the band must be proud to see. After 10 tracks which seem to disappear in the blink of an eye the band are back for an encore and when the last chords of ‘Baby, You Wouldn’t Last A Minute On The Creek’ crack out and the lights come on it’s a night that’s gone in a blur.
It’s nights such as this that make us remember exactly why we love this band. Long life Chiodos.
