When we arrive relatively late for the Scala, the queue is longer than expected. It seems a good few Lordi fans have been hiding in the UK all this time and nobody knew!
Once inside, it doesn’t take long for the venue to fill (and the Scala is a lovely venue at that), and soon enough British “sleaze rock” outfit “Viking Skull” take to the stage. For the first five minutes the energy of the band carries them, but I soon find my concentration waning. Eventually every “Old-School Deep Purple meets Cathedral” crossover song just blends into the next. Perhaps if the band had concentrated on writing more than just one riff for ALL their songs, as apposed to trying to pay homage to every band your “Heavy Metal Dad” might listen to, then things may be a bit more interesting. Sadly, I feel so smothered by their “dumb” retro irony (and the singer is too busy gurning like a tit) that it makes 35 out of the 40 minutes they play a total snooze.
After a quick shake to wake myself up, it isn’t long before the lights dim again. After what seems like an incredibly long intro, the band finally bound onstage to the opening chords of “Bring it On”, and in typical reaction from a UK crowd everyone takes it upon themselves to beat the crap out of each other rather than watch the show.
It’s soon apparent the idiot contingent are in this evening – including several rather sad middle aged “mullet-laden” men, whom for whatever reason seem to be here without knowing who Lordi are, and take it upon themselves to pour beer on/antagonise as many people as they can. And people say it’s the youth of today that are the problem? :) Pillocks aside, the quality of Lordi’s stage show is excellent. Although they are certainly no Rammstein when it comes putting on “a show”, there’s no denying that up close - that make-up looks fantastic! I also challenge anyone not to raise a wry smile at the sight of a zombie shredding out guitar solos!
They reel out the hits this evening – “Blood Red Sandman”, “Devil is A Loser”, “Rock the Hell Out of You” etc, complete with several costume changes from Lordi himself, baiting the drummer with chunks of cow, and several axes and chainsaws along the way. Things are going great (bar the crowd) and the sound is crisp and clear.
Then something happens - they begin playing “Would You Love a Monsterman?” – their biggest hit to date – after a brief break from the stage. What’s so bad about that you may wonder? Well, checking my watch I see the band have been playing for barely 40 minutes. Surely this can’t be the end?
The band disappear off-stage and the lights come back up, leaving everyone staring in a sort of bewildered manner, wondering whether they should stick around for the ironic 2nd encore – but that was the lot! I know the tickets were barely £8.00, but knowing for a fact these guys play 2-hour sets in their home country of Finland - I can’t help but feel like the UK got a little short-changed.
Had I not spent the evening surrounded by a large number of morons I may have come away from the gig feeling a little more positive, but as good as the band were (for the short period they were onstage) 40 minutes just isn’t enough for a headline act. The behaviour of the crowd also added proof to the theory - that UK audiences have a LOT to learn about gig etiquette - especially compared with their European cousins. I came to see Lordi, not Linkin Park.
Overall Score: 6 /10
