Location: Munich / Zenith Halle / Germany
Date: Friday, November 20, 2015
Performers: Motörhead, Saxon, Girlschool
Motörhead, Saxon and Girlschool on a joint tour. Three bands whose bonds have been tight and tangled since the early eighties. In their golden years, they agreed to hit the road together once more. Back in 2013 it was settled that Motörhead and Saxon would do a new joint tour of Europe. But thanks to the health troubles of the iron chancellor Lemmy Kilmister, the idea kind of fizzled. The schedule dragged on. First it was pushed to spring 2014, then later cancelled altogether. Once the iron chancellor finally got himself back on his feet, more or less, Motörhead started recording a new album. Their 22nd studio album overall, “Bad Magic,” came out at the end of this August, and the North American leg of the tour is already behind Motörhead, a leg on which they had to cut short or cancel three shows. But Lemmy knows no retreat. So Motörhead headed out on the German-Scandinavian leg of the new European tour as if there were no obstacles at all, totally unburdened, in tune with the rhythm of their everyday lives. Professionally speaking, that’s honestly the only thing that makes sense. But it’s also this band’s way of life. Or more precisely, Lemmy’s way.
In Munich, Motörhead announced two back-to-back dates at the same venue. Zenith Halle. Both nights sold out completely. In advance. You’d happily catch both, but a packed gig schedule, which demanded a mandatory Whitesnake show in Zagreb on November 21, 2015, only partly allowed for that.
Thanks to the day’s troubles, brought on by bad weather (rain, snow), plus tightened checks at the German-Austrian border, which added a solid two hours of delay, and the traditional getting lost in Munich while looking for the hall (which, after all the years of visiting this venue, has no excuse anymore), the RockLine duo, navigator-less, reached the venue after Saxon had already played the first third of their set. The British veterans didn’t pull any special surprises anyway. They went through their set very much on autopilot. A predictable setlist, with three brand-new songs from the fresh studio album “Battering Ram” (2015) and the cult classics of their eighties iron repertoire, shows that the band has gotten easygoing and extremely routine over the years. A heap of material that Saxon created in the nineties, and which is considered excellent, sadly doesn’t get a chance to be heard live. A shame. The German crowd, which adopted Saxon as a “German band” ages ago, was, in keeping with tradition and proper German concert manners, strictly respectful toward the band and gave them an absolutely excellent reception, carrying Biff and the crew through the set high on the wings of their raised arms. German loyalty to the grave keeps Saxon’s image spotless even in their golden years, when the band has achieved everything there is to achieve and doesn’t even want to shoulder any special creative feats or challenges.
Things were different when Motörhead took the stage. This time without Lemmy’s usual introductory greeting. They burst onto the thickly fogged stage to the sound of the well-known sirens warning of a bombing raid. Bomber. They’re here! Hanging above the trio was a mock-up of a twin-engine World War II bomber, modeled on the Heinkel He-111, a metal frame covered in spotlights, and the guys, as expected, went at the material full throttle! Given the latest goings-on, most eyes were fixed primarily on the undisputed and unique figure of the first and perhaps only true icon of rock, Ian Lemmy Kilmister. The sturdy figure still holds on to the vocal power, as well as the bass playing. The show is arranged so the man can gather strength as he goes. The repertoire alternates: a fast song is followed by a slower one, and so on. Drum and guitar solos are also slotted in at points throughout the gig, and the obligatory encore has been cut down by at least one song.
The opening turned on a dime. Before Metropolis, Phil and Lemmy theatrically hooked pinkies and raised their arms high in the air. When Phil moved to his side of the stage, Lemmy kept his right hand up high for a while, clenched in a fist. The only new song from “Bad Magic” that Motörhead played that night, When The Sky Comes Looking For You, was followed by another evergreen, Over the Top. Before the song, Lemmy, with Phil’s help, provoked the crowd to make some noise. That really wasn’t hard to pull off. Lemmy then said he was dedicating the song to everyone who made noise: “This song is dedicated to all, who made fuckin’ noise then!” The surprise in the setlist this time was a song from the album “Antoher Perfect Day” (1983), called Rock It. That album has gotten a kind of respect from fans in recent years. When it came out, critics tore it apart, since by Motörhead standards of the time it was simply too good, but it has stood the test of time and has finally gotten its due and value, which is why the band has gladly included songs from it in their live shows in recent years. The devastating Orgasmatron wrapped the foggy venue in dark green, while Dr. Rock gave Lemmy a chance to catch his breath, and during the solo woven into the song, Mikkey Dee pounded the drums mercilessly.
An hour and ten minutes of regular set. The band closed with the immortal Ace Of Spades, and the people up front by the stage got blown away yet again in their already thoroughly fried heads – the venue was once more like the Battle of Vaduz from World War I. The kind of energy you can only wish for at a Motörhead gig. The obligatory encore brought one more contrast of slow and fast songs. The acoustic Whorehouse Blues with Lemmy on harmonica (Mikkey Dee helped out on acoustic guitar), followed by a closing tornado with Overkill and three extended exits from the song. During Overkill, too, the improvised bomber above the stage woke up again and started swinging wildly left and right.
The show lasted an hour and 20 minutes. The fact is that Lemmy doesn’t look his best. I’m afraid, and I really don’t want to say this, but it feels like he’s slowly saying goodbye. During the show he got through his performance totally confidently. With power. The expected and required power. Like always. He distributed his energy wisely and saved his strength. But Lemmy’s very presence, from his posture and look to the energy he gives off onstage, all hints that the unique icon of rock’n’roll, who turns 70 at the end of December this year, is nearing his end. Meanwhile, the German-Scandinavian leg of the tour rolls on. Uninterrupted. And let’s hope it stays that way. Lemmy and company have confirmed shows for next year too. In February, among others, there’s a gig in Vienna, and in Bolzano (in South Tyrol). A Motörhead show is worth seeing. It’s always been that way, and 2015 is no different. Let’s enjoy it while we still can, or as the opening motto of the new album “Bad Magic” says: “Win or die!”
author: Aleš Podbrežnik
photos: Aleš Podbrežnik
MOTÖRHEAD:
1. Intro
2. Bomber
3. Stay Clean
4. Metropolis
5. When the Sky Comes Looking for You
6. Over the Top
7. Guitar Solo
8. The Chase Is Better Than the Catch
9. Lost Woman Blues
10. Rock It
11. Orgasmatron
12. Doctor Rock (plus drum solo)
13. Just ‘Cos You Got the Power
14. No Class
15. Ace of Spades
—encore—
16. Whorehouse Blues
17. Overkill
SAXON:
1. Battering Ram
2. Motorcycle Man
3. Sacrifice
4. Power and the Glory
5. Queen of Hearts
6. The Devil’s Footprint
7. Heavy Metal Thunder
8. 20,000 Ft
9. Princess of the Night
10. Wheels of Steel
11. Crusader
12. Denim and Leather
GIRLSCHOOL:
1. C’mon Let’s Go
2. Kick It Down
3. Come, the Revolution
4. Take It Like A Band
5. Future Flash
6. Watch Your Step
7. Race with the Devil
8. Emergency
