30 Years Of Ugly

There are worlds between my first and, to date, only LIFE OF AGONY gig and today's show, back then as now at a sold-out :: Zeche Bochum ::. And that's not just because of the evil C.
Almost 10 years have passed since then. The New Yorkers have released two more albums and Mina is Keith again. However, LIFE OF AGONY don't go completely without the fairer sex - Veronica Bellino sits now behind the drums, having replaced Sal Abruscato in 2018.

So off to Bochum I went. November lived up to its reputation: it was gray, gloomy, dreary, cold, pouring rain, and just above 0°C. In other words, perfect weather for the sofa with a cup of tea and the remote control in hand ;) And that's exactly how people drove – I found myself stuck in traffic jam after traffic jam...
Thank Buddha, I had left extra early, especially since the concert times had been updated to half an hour earlier. Very commendable, I was tempted to say – the Zeche is otherwise known for letting the opening act play ahead of schedule.
Nevertheless, I was late though, so there was no time for merch or drinks. After all, the Zeche was sold out, so I had to quickly find a suitable spot near the stage.

:: pics :: TERRADOWN ::

It started right on time, not with Ugly Kid Joe, but with a band called :: TERRADOWN ::, which they had apparently forgotten to announce. Anyway, I had never heard of this band before. And I probably wouldn't have listened to them beforehand, even if they had been mentioned.
But as soon as these young guys took the stage, they tore it apart. Melodic death & groove metal with a modern and fresh touch. The young wild ones, basically the new generation of metal bands. The guys reminded me a bit of Swedish representatives of the genre. Vocally, Jan-Chris de Koeijer from the legendary Gorefest came to mind. Which fits well, because TERRADOWN are also Dutch ;) Feel free to put it to the test and listen to Gorefest's Erase alongside a current song by TERRADOWN ;) Amazing. Could be the son, so to speak... As an old Gorefest fan, TERRADOWN had already scored points here.
But the guys are also talented in other ways, presenting themselves as extremely enthusiastic and full of energy, and managing to get at least part of the audience going.
TERRADOWN have been around since 2016 and released their debut album Judgement in 2020, but only one song from it was played. Apart from Checkmate, from the EP of the same name released in 2023, the rest of the songs must have been brand new, as I couldn't find them anywhere. I guess there will be a new release in the foreseeable future.
Lead guitarist Jasper Verhorst was missing - singer Nick Brouwer said something about it, but I didn't really catch it. It was noticeable, because whenever Mark Link played solos (too many for my taste), the sound became a bit thin. But that didn't harm the show at all. It was a short but crisp warm-up and pure fun!
My recommendation: TERRADOWN. Give them a listen :)

Band: Nick Brouwer (vox), Jasper Verhorst (git), Mark Link (git), Joris Koenraadt (bass), Boudewijn Lamper (drums)
Setlist: So Sweet And Cold, Cast The Die, Memories, Checkmate, Nothing To Lose, Accept Your Fate

:: pics :: UGLY KID JOE ::

:: UGLY KID JOE :: have been in the business just as long as Life Of Agony, they are just West Coast boys. It would be an exaggeration to call them the heroes of my (late) youth. But of course, there was no getting around this band in the 90s. The Californians' hits were played over and over again on every radio station and in every dance club, earning the band a few gold and platinum awards.
To be honest, I never had ambitions to see UGLY KID JOE live, nor did I really follow them musically, so I was very curious and excited to hear what UGLY KID JOE would sound like 35 years later. Especially since the tour combination with LOA is somehow... interesting. Musically, that is. On the other hand, frontman Whitfield Crane had also sung with Life Of Agony for some time after Keith Caputo left the band (after the third album) and UGLY KID JOE had broken up at that time. It's fair to say that this tour brought together two legendary bands that have made music history.
In no time at all (15 minutes), the stage was rebuilt, and what I then got to experience live... completely blew me away!
UGLY KID JOE were enthusiastically received by the audience and then played with an energy and enthusiasm that I hadn't expected. Guitarists Klaus and Dave came on stage in shorts and knee socks, jumping around and rocking like twenty-year-olds, while singer Whitfield mostly sat cross-legged on a monitor box or stood on it, entertaining the fans with gestures and various sayings.
Whitfield also waved the photographers onto the stage. I didn't get it at first. No one would expect that... or rather, no photographer would ;) And then it took me a while to pluck up the courage to go on stage, always looking helplessly at the security guard... He just grinned and shrugged... I was blown away. What a band! No, I certainly hadn't expected that.
Musically, UGLY KID JOE stuck to their first two albums, their hits so to speak. Their second album, Menace To Sobriety, is also celebrating its 30th anniversary. Of course, the audience sang along loudly to Cat's In The Cradle and Everything About You, while the Motörhead cover Ace Of Spades made metal hearts beat faster.
Klaus Eichstadt, who is of German descent, tried his hand at his native language, and was particularly taken with the word “Geschwindigkeitsübertretung” (speeding) ;) I guess from painful experience? I could well understand that... ;)
Unfortunately, UGLY KID JOE only played for just under an hour, but they did so with a level of enthusiasm, passion, and closeness to their fans that you rarely experience. After all, it was already the penultimate day of their tour after almost three weeks on the road! I have to say, UGLY KID JOE not only absolutely thrilled me, but also impressed me deeply! Thank you for this magnificent show!

Band: Whitfield Crane (vox), Klaus Eichstadt (git), Dave Fortman (git), Cordell Crockett (bass), Shannon Larkin (drums)
Setlist: V.I.P., Neighbor, Panhandlin' Prince, C.U.S.T., No One Survives, Devil's Paradise, Cat's In The Cradle, I'm Alright, Milkman's Son, Ace Of Spades, Everything About You

:: pics :: LIFE OF AGONY ::

Ugly, the second album that sounds so different from the debut and basically gave the New Yorkers their breakthrough and first chart positions. Admittedly, I love the debut River Runs Red and found the sophomore rather gothic-like with a distinct Type O influence, and I just shook my head at the hype that ensued. But that's another story ;)
The setlist was obvious, as it had been announced that Ugly would be played in its entirety. Shortly after nine, :: LIFE OF AGONY :: took to the stage and were greeted frenetically. It was really nice to see the band members recognize people in the audience and greet them before the band kicked off with Seasons.
Anyone who thought that after two bands bursting with energy, the audience might be running out of steam... NO! Far from it. LIFE OF AGONY even upped the ante.
Keith Caputo is naturally a bundle of energy, never standing still for even a millisecond and constantly whirling across the stage. His cousin Joey Z. was nothing short of either, but he's better at making faces, and Alan Robert on bass acted like a berserker on stage. What energy! It didn't take long before the first crowd surfers tumbled into the photo pit, much to the surprise of the security. Keith kept an eye on those things happening, repeatedly thanking the security guys and telling fans to look out for each other so that nothing bad would happen. Keith also made many statements about being kind to each other, respecting women, and not losing oneself in hatred and discrimination.
Keith also repeatedly sought contact with the fans, clapping the front row or teasing the security guy. The atmosphere was fantastic, downright exuberant, with fans dancing, moshing, and rocking out. Every song was greeted frenetically and sung along to. There were even some (small) circle pits to see.
At the end of Ugly, there is the well-known Simple Minds cover Don't You (Forget About Me) - and that was not missing either. Keith Caputo quickly brought a keyboard on stage and then there was a slightly rockier version of the song, which - of course - was sung along loudly by everyone. Awesome!
Without a break or the usual encore procedure, LIFE OF AGONY continued with another surprise. Whitfield Crane was back on stage and sang River Runs Red from the debut album with Keith. As I later read, this performance had taken place for the first time the day before in Utrecht. Goosebumps moment, I would say. This brought things full circle and the fans went wild.
There were two more songs from the debut album played before LIFE OF AGONY bid a warm farewell to the crowd, the lights went on, and the fans were sent out into the rain.
What a great evening with fantastic bands and terrific shows, which, at least for me, will go down as some of the best I've ever seen.

Band: Keith Caputo (vox), Joey Z. (Zampella git), Alan Robert (bass), Veronica Bellino (drums)
Setlist: Seasons, I Regret, Lost At 22, Other Side Of The River, Let's Pretend, Ugly, Drained, How It Would Be, Unstable, Damned If I Do, Fears, Don't You (Forget About Me), River Runs Red, Through And Through, Underground