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| KILLING JOKE Plus Support Wulfrun Hall, Wolverhampton, UK Saturday 6th May 2006 I’m ashamed to say this is the first gig of the year for me. I had a choice of Anti-Flag a week later in Brum or Killing Joke in Wolves tonight. Well I don’t think I really had much of a choice, but the gruelling £2.90 lager tab did make me ponder whether I made the right decision. Tonight’s 3 quarters full venue of the Joker brotherhood wasn’t packed, but was full enough for a Saturday night to make it worth the Dark Lords second visit within 2 years. I arrived just as the support act (ain’t got a clue who they were?) were just finishing off the last couple of numbers. I was convinced as I got they frisked on the way in they were a Killing Joke tribute. Coz they had that familiar heavy dub beat going down and similar song structures, but that was where the comparison ended. Their grovelling singer decked out in dreads wasn’t by any means a contender to the Conjurors throne. And so off they trotted into anonymity amidst a small but polite applause by the KJ throng, who obviously didn’t fancy the clinical confines of the bar. I went for a little walk around the venue and passed the merchandise stall. I spotted a couple of KJ T-shirt designs and badges, but they didn’t have enough clowns on them to warrant further attention. It was a good 20 minutes before the roadies dismantled the drums and made way for tonight’s headliners spacious stage plan. Which was presided over by two massive black banners, something akin to Roman Legionnaire standards as they proclaimed in large white letters Killing Joke and slowly wavered each side of the stage. As the dry ice began to congregate round the foot of the monitors and what sounded like one of Maestro Coleman’s more exotic orchestrial arrangements boomed out the PA. It became obvious the main attraction was about to arrive. The 700 or so gathering were by now starting to psyche themselves up with whistles, jeers and general anticipation. 30 or so hardcore followers crowded near the stage front as some shadowy figures traipsed on and plugged in unannounced. A few seconds later chief fiend Jaz walks out to loud cheers and wolf whistles. Jaz Coleman is the main focus of our attention for the next hour and half. He‘s one of rocks few unhinged front men still left intact and surviving in a safe bland rock scene. A true loose cannon bedecked out in what looks like a black flying romper suit, white greasepaint and greased back hair. He could well have stepped out the set of a Batman movie! The rest of the band await his opening oration with a routine nonchalance as he informs us with cigar in hand that someone close to the band has recently met their maker. But it’s conveyed in such a manner that makes you wonder whether he’s actually bullshitting or not? Well whatever the case, we didn't get 'Love Like Blood' but were ushered into the fatalistic delights of ‘Communion’ with its rich Arabian twists and those grinding guitars. It’s followed by one of Killing Jokes more memorable early sermon’s, the frenzied ‘Wardance’ from 1980. Which sees a bonafide manic street preacher, rewarding us with a slight jig! Stamping his feet in time to the pounding beat. He roared out the chorus to his apocalyptic militia in that unmistakeable growl and it all felt quite natural! One thing you notice about Killing Joke live is they ain’t the most energetic or captivating band to watch on stage. And once the initial fascination of the first few numbers have been unleashed its settles down to dare I say it a war of attrition on your senses. They are an immense machine of booming bass and crunching riffs which won’t stop for no-one. Even when the mic refuses to issue the orders from our leade. The barrage,rolls on relentless. Jaz with his outstanding vocal range and that frantic stare will keep you primed for the duration of the show. And his almost pantomime baddie line of attack gives us a rare chuckle when you least expect it. He's a great story teller and would be great company no doubt sat in a bar. The audience interaction is the only motion your gonna see on stage tonight. Apart from intense speaker vibration. Killing Joke for all their detractors are probably the only punk institution around today who actually look like they really still mean it. They create great theatre on stage, but only If you can swallow the never ending guitar drone which wasn’t helped too well tonight by a shitty sound. In actual fact it can become something of a chore after an hour or so. And call me a wimp if you must, but I much prefer them on record. Even with the newer material thrown in like dominating ‘Total Invasion‘, the live dynamics just don’t match the studio vibe. The set is predominantly back catalogue which I ain’t complaining about. I did however think they could have given us more tracks from the last couple of albums. We only got two off the latest album so make of that what you will? Geordie the backward baseball capped master of the power chord just stares blankly at his minions. He continually churns out the rhythms of mass destruction on his golden Gibson ES-295. And seems totally detached! Local punk turned LA dog breeder/cock fighter Paul Raven, has resorted to black greasepaint. Which matches his heavily tattooed torso, as his bass throbs deeply to the beat? The sound of Killing Joke live sometimes reminds me of some drug induced rave soundtrack as you close your eyes and fall head first into the Sonics. The never ending rhythm can get somewhat monotonous on the weaker numbers, but this is also what makes this band so important. It was left to ‘Requiem’ to really lift us from the darkness of tonight’s death ride with it’s opening synth and that great lyric which has all in attendance singing merrily along. This moment alone was probably worth the £15 quid entrance fee, for a totally devoted Joker. They up the ante for the latest fast and unrelenting ‘Hosanna Beads From The Gates Of Hell’ off their new album. But sadly we didn’t get the brilliant ‘Invocation’ which I was counting on. Tonight’s set is prime time heavy duty killing Joke. And you can see why they scored a support slot with Motley Crue. It was also good to read Jaz give them the respect they're due with a proper slagging afterwards tee hee. None of Killing Jokes more commercial numbers from their back catalogue are aired tonight. Although ‘Money Ain’t My God’ was probably as close as it gets. Amidst a lecture from Jaz on Wolverhampton, and its bored youth. Which went something along the lines of “everyone needs to escape, but the grass ain’t always greener on the other side“. They launch into ‘Asteroid’ which needed no explanation and hit us all between the eyes with a bombardment not seen in this venue since Motorhead played here on the 'Bomber' tour. After we’d been obliterated, and totally white washed by ‘Whiteout’. We didn’t have long to hang around before ‘The Wait’ snuck up behind us with its almost soothing chorus that leads us all into a false sense of security. We are then cruelly sent over the edge by the brilliant ’Psyche’ that sends yer pulse racing and your paranoia into overdrive. The chief Joker grips unseen demons with his hand and stares you out which is really quite impressive for a bloke who was spotted earlier in the Hogs head pub wolfing down Whisky chasers. They encore with ‘Complications’ because nothing is easy in the life of Killing Joke, and finally depart with ’Pandemonium’ which seems to be a favourite set closer but id have much preferred ‘You’ll Never Get To Me’ just for the sheer contrast in tonight’s brutal offerings. One thing you take away from a Killing Joke performance (apart from opportunist spoils at the merch desk - adopt sinisterr laugh), was that Killing Joke are still worth your attention! But only If you really wanna witness the real deal before it too ceases to exist. PETER DON’T CARE (Apologies for the poor gig shots but my cheapo camera just ain’t capable of taking decent shots in venues of this size grrr!) |
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