Artist: Motörhead
Label: UDR
Released: 2012
Runtime: approx. 272 min.
Rating: 4/5
The follow-up to the live document released in 2011, »The Wörld Is Ours – Vol 1 – Everywhere Further Than Everyplace Else«, brings a few minimal differences, almost negligible, but differences nonetheless. The place and time of the recording is the first one; the second is a minimal tweak to the setlist, where the »Another Perfect Day« standard I Got Mine in the second part is swapped for the ultimate Bomber (the lighting-rig bomber construction is there, of course), which closes the regular part of the Wacken show.
The two parts followed each other pretty quickly. Both were recorded in 2011, both released a year apart. The first as part of the South American tour, the second as part of the European summer festival run, where Motörhead hit the peak of that leg of the tour at none other than Wacken Open Air. There was quite a bit of wiggle room to spice up the second part and make it more interesting than the first. Just the plain fact that they could have put out a recording from the autumn-winter leg of the 2011 European tour, when the setlist had already been seriously freshened up. But obviously the band and its business machinery were first and foremost after capturing the chemistry between the band and the gigantic Wacken crowd, and in that way matching the madness of the South American temperament as immortalized in the first part. Bands love recording their shows at Wacken Open Air. Simple as that. The German rock culture tradition is so strong, so devoted, so caring and loving, that it invariably results in a one-of-a-kind feeling when you stand on stage and the crowd in front of you stretches to a horizon that just won’t disappear. At the same time, bands approach Wacken with great reverence, especially when they’re picked for prominent (even headlining) slots on the festival bill. It’s a kind of prestige gig, although those who attend Wacken regularly will tell you there are simply too many people at the festival and that the event is slowly losing its former swagger year after year.
No need to waste any more words on the Motőrhead show. Whoever has the first part won’t pop their eyes out watching the second. Simple. The minimalism of the rigid, uniform, thoroughly road-tested giant structure that carries the stage set remains Motörheadian – a pyre wrapped in a thick fog of doom, with no survivors. Expected, proven. The key difference between the DVDs from Chile and Germany is that this time they stitched together a film that’s entirely a color recording of the Wacken show. Let me mention that plenty of people were bugged by the black-and-white film of the Chile recording, which embodies the first part of the concert document »The Wörld Is Ours« (DVD). Let’s keep our fingers crossed for the label UDR that, thanks to this change, the second part will simply sell better – but such insinuations are total hogwash. It won’t make a difference. What will make a difference is the fervent German devotion to the band. This DVD/2CD will be bought above all by the devoted fans who have to own every item stamped with the Motörhead logo, and especially by everyone who found themselves face to face with the band on the Wacken festival grounds on August 8, two years ago.
Otherwise, the band’s stage performance is practically identical to what we’ve seen over the last few years. The same banter with the crowd, the same crop of tried-and-true humor, the same delivery of the repertoire, the same stage movement and chatter between songs from Lemmy and Phil, the »pinkies« before Metropolis and all the other »nonsense« that the rock n’ roll attitude demands. The usual bazaar of tomfoolery. Of course, you want to know how the Chancellor is holding up. His voice, true, is no longer fresh, not as high, not as distinct, but it still roars at decibels that can deafen a passer-by. So it still »plows«, the way only the vocals of Motörhead boss Lemmy can plow. He gets through the repertoire with total confidence, though it’s clear he tailored a few lines, setting the melody lower in places. For his age and lifestyle, anything else wouldn’t be normal.
So there it is. In the band’s series of endless live releases, Wacken has finally fallen too.
Line-up
Ian “Lemmy” Kilmister – vocals, bass guitar
Philip Campbell – guitar
Mikkey Dee – drums
Track list
DVD:
Wacken Open Air, Germany, 08.08.2011
01 Iron Fist
02 Stay Clean
03 Get Back In Line
04 Metropolis
05 Over the Top
06 One Night Stand
07 Rock Out
08 The Thousand Names of God
09 I Know How To Die
10 The Chase Is Better Than the Catch
11 In the Name of Tragedy
12 Just ‘Cos You Got the Power
13 Going to Brazil
14 Killed by Death
15 Bomber
16 Ace of Spades
17 Overkill
Sonisphere festival, United Kingdom, 10.07.2011
01 Iron Fist
02 I Know How To Die
03 In The Name of Tragedy
04 Killed by Death
05 Ace of Spades
06 Overkill
Rock In Rio, Brazil, 25.09.2011
01 Stay Clean
02 Over the Top
03 The Chase Is Better Than the Catch
04 Going to Brazil
05 Killed by Death
Extras:
Festival Impressions W:O:A
CD1.:
Wacken Open Air, Germany, 08.08.2011
01 Iron Fist
02 Stay Clean
03 Get Back In Line
04 Metropolis
05 Over the Top
06 One Night Stand
07 Rock Out
08 The Thousand Names of God
09 I Know How To Die
10 The Chase Is Better Than the Catch
11 In the Name of Tragedy
12 Just ‘Cos You Got the Power
13 Going to Brazil
14 Killed by Death
15 Bomber
CD2.:
Wacken Open Air, Germany, 08.08.2011
16 Ace of Spades
17 Overkill
Sonisphere festival, United Kingdom, 10.07.2011
01 Iron Fist
02 I Know How To Die
03 In The Name of Tragedy
04 Killed by Death
05 Ace of Spades
06 Overkill
Rock In Rio, Brazil, 25.09.2011
01 Stay Clean
02 Over the Top
03 The Chase Is Better Than the Catch
04 Going to Brazil
05 Killed by Death
