Bristol O2 Academy – 6th October 2022
Municipal Waste
Headliners in their own right, the hall was already jam packed to throw horns and mosh out to the veteran thrashers.
Delivering a blistering set of “high speed steel” to the eardrums with a mammoth 15 strong playlist.
The multimillion streamed favourites “Wave of Death” & “Sadistic Magician” were in the mix along with power openers “Demoralizer” and “You’re Cut Off”.
The wave of high voltage energy from the band infected the crowd who responded like electrocuted Duracell bunnies.
Broad smiles and roars of approval from first to last.
By the time the set was finishing with “Born to Party” the tone had been set for the evening. And the temperature inside the O2 was metaphorically (and physically) at boiling point.
@thebristolnomad / @bristolnomad_gigphotography
Anthrax
A gig I will remember for a very long time.
Its impossible to state how much I was looking forward to this. I’ve seen Anthrax live multiple times over the years at various festivals, but I’ve never (until now) caught them on their own headline tour.
The 40th anniversary tour, besides making me feel very old, felt special from the off.
The O2’s large stage completely obscured by a giant curtain. On to which was projected a plethora of rock n roll royalty from Slipknot’s Corey Taylor to Metallica’s Robert Trujillo all stating how influential Anthrax have been. And what the band mean to them. It was a nice touch that received a brilliant reaction from the sold out crowd. There are sold out nights at the O2 and then there are sold out nights. Jammed solid with a wall of Anthrax T-shirt wearing metalheads just chomping at the bit to get going. By the time the curtain dropped and the first chimes of “Among the Living” struck the main floor was a tsunami of bodies, ebbing and flowing as one huge sweaty mass. Security were in for a busy night with the never ending sea of crowd surfers.
The band fed off the energy to provide the best set I’ve ever seen them produce. Rhythm Guitarist Scott Ian, drummer Charlie Benante, bassist Frank Bello, vocalist Joey Belladonna and lead guitarist Jonathan Donais didn’t stop smiling throughout. Constantly playing with the crowd and even the mass of photographers there to capture a historic night.
The setlist was everything a uber fan could have wanted. Out the gates strong with “Caught in a Mosh” & “Madhouse”, a solid middle of “I Am The Law” & “In The End” to a stellar ending including back to backs of two of my personal favs “Bring The Noise” & “Indians”
When the house lights finally came on the band received a rapturous ovation as they threw the most picks I’ve ever seen into a gleeful throng.
As i said at the top. A gig i’ll remember for a very long time.
The Bristol Nomad / @bristolnomad_gigphotography
