Author: Aleš Podbrežnik
Photos: Aleš Podbrežnik
Location: Munich / Zenith Halle / Germany
Concert date: 11/20/2015
Attendance: 6,000
Ticket price: €57.50
Motörhead, Saxon and Girlschool on a joint tour. Three bands whose ties have been rock-solid and intertwined since the early eighties of the last century. Now, in their golden years, they agreed once again to run a new tour together. Back in 2013 it was already settled that Motörhead and Saxon would play a new joint tour across Europe. But because of the health troubles of the iron chancellor Lemmy Kilmister, the idea kind of fizzled. It dragged on. First it was pushed to spring 2014, then later called off entirely. Once the iron chancellor finally pulled himself together, more or less, Motörhead started recording a new album. The 22nd studio album in total, »Bad Magic«, came out at the end of this August, and Motörhead have already done the North American leg of the tour, on which they had to cut short or cancel three shows. But Lemmy knows no retreat. And so Motörhead set off on the German-Scandinavian leg of their new European tour as if there were no reservations at all, completely carefree, in tune with their daily routine. Professionally speaking, that’s honestly the only thing that makes sense. But it’s also this band’s way of life. Or, to be more precise, Lemmy’s way of life.
In München Motörhead announced two back-to-back shows at the same venue. In the Zenith Halle. Both dates were completely sold out. In advance. A person would gladly have stayed for both, but a packed concert schedule, which demanded a mandatory Whitesnake show in Zagreb on 11/21/2015, only partly allowed for that.
Thanks to daily troubles caused by bad weather (rain, snow), then tightened checks at the German-Austrian border, where a solid two hours of delay had to be factored in, and the traditional getting lost in Munich while looking for the hall (which, after all these years of visiting it, is no longer excusable), the RockLine duo, without a navigator, arrived at the venue after Saxon had already played the first third of their show. The British veterans didn’t pull any special surprises, mind you. They did their set very routinely. A predictable setlist, with three brand-new tracks from the fresh studio album »Battering Ram« (2015) and cult classics from the iron repertoire of the eighties, shows that the band has become easygoing and extremely well-practiced over the years. A pile of material that Saxon created in the nineties, and which is considered excellent, sadly never gets a chance to be heard live. A shame. The German crowd, which adopted Saxon as a »German band« long ago, was, in keeping with tradition and proper German concert manners, strictly respectful toward the band and gave them a more than excellent reception, which carried Biff and the crew through the set high up on the wings of their hands. German loyalty to the grave keeps the image of Saxon spotless even in their golden years, when the band has achieved everything there is to achieve and doesn’t even want to saddle itself with any special creative feats or challenges.
Things were different when Motörhead took the stage. This time without an opening greeting from Lemmy. They burst onto the thickly fogged stage to the sound of the well-known sirens warning of a bombing raid. Bomber. Here they are! Above the trio hung a mock-up of a twin-engine World War II bomber, modeled after the Heinkel He-111, a metal frame covered in spotlights, and the guys, as expected, went at the material full throttle! Given the recent incidents, most eyes were fixed first and foremost on the undisputed and unique figure of the first and perhaps only true icon of rock, Ian Lemmy Kilmister. The wiry figure still holds on to his vocal power, and to his bass playing too. The show is arranged so the man can gather strength as he goes. The repertoire is built in alternation. A fast song is followed by a slower one, and so on. Drum and guitar solos are also slotted into the set, and the obligatory encore has been shortened to just one song, at least.
The intro turned on a dime: before Metropolis, Phil and Lemmy theatrically hooked pinkies and raised their hands high in the air. When Phil moved over to his side of the stage, Lemmy kept his right hand up in the air 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, goaded the crowd into making 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 track from the album »Antoher Perfect Day« (1983), called Rock It. That album has gotten a certain amount of respect from fans in recent years. When it came out, the 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 finally gotten its due and its 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 stage in a dark green glow, while Dr. Rock gave Lemmy a chance to catch his breath, and during the solo worked into the song, Mikkey Dee pounded the drums mercilessly.
An hour and ten minutes of the regular set. The band closed with the immortal Ace Of Spades, and for the people up front by the stage it was one more total blowout for their already thoroughly souped-up heads – the venue once again looked like the battle for Vaduz from the First World War. The kind of energy you can only wish for at a Motörhead show. The obligatory encore combined one more contrast of a slow and a fast song. The acoustic Whorehouse Blues with Lemmy on harmonica (Mikkey Dee helped out on acoustic guitar), followed by the closing tornado of Overkill with three extended endings. During Overkill too, the improvised bomber above the stage woke up again and started thrashing 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 the set with total confidence. With power. The expected and demanded 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 radiates on stage, all of it hints that the one-of-a-kind icon of rock’n’roll, who will turn 70 at the end of December this year, is nearing his end. Meanwhile, the German-Scandinavian leg of the tour goes on. Without a break. 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 also in Bolzano (in South Tyrol). A Motörhead show is well worth seeing. It’s always been that way, and in 2015 it’s no different. Let’s enjoy it while we still can, or as the opening motto of the new album “Bad Magic” puts it: “Win or die!”
Setlist
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
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