Airbourne
HMV Forum Kentish Town
Review & photos by; Mike Blackhart
With the release of their fifth album, 'Boneshaker' under their belts, Aussie Hard Rockers Airbourne return to the HMV Forum Kentish Town...
But first...
As I sit on my couch, typing this out, I've got a hot water bottle on my neck, a ringing in my ears (forgot the earplugs) and I'm pretty sure the kick I received to the head from the crowd surfer combined with the head banging might have done some permanent damage.... but it doesn't matter, I absolutely, positively lost my f**king mind tonight, and regressed to a primal savagery that only 'True' N' Hard' Rock' N' Roll can evoke...
And yes, the comparisons with AC/DC still abound, but so what, and who cares, they do what they do and they do it, oh so very... very... well... the formula ain't broke and it don't need fixing...
If you want an unbiased review stop reading now... because in my opinion... they f**king rule!
Two for two on the F-Bombs... so back to the gig...
The Terminator soundtrack blasts from the house PA, ominous red lights flicker into life on the ten Marshall amps that sit upon 20 Marshall cabs, smoke fills the stage, movement can be seen in the shadows, the light show begins and as the bare chested, beer chugging, V8 engine loving, Joel O'Keeffe bursts into action the band kick into the set with the anthemic 'Raise the Flag'.
I'm standing dead centre to the stage, with a German between me and the crash barrier, I can see the whites of Joel's eyes and they zero in on mine, he's a 170 dates plus into this tour, but he is fresh eager and hungry, he is wild and unbridled, and I'm buying what he's selling, its raw, truthful and raucous, no apologies given, no offence taken and as 'Too Much, Too Young, Too Fast' begins the weight of the crowd slams into me with full force, its bedlam, and as the mass of bodies sway to 'the rock and roll', you fight to stay on your feet... Bathed in sweat, 'The German', complains about the crush, and I tell him, he better man up as this is survival of the fittest...
Third song in and we are treated to, 'Burn Out the Nitro', it’s a track of the new album and it’s the first time I've heard it played live, it fits into the set like a hand in a velvet glove, the power and passion that producer Brian Cobb created in the studio sees it translate seamlessly into a live environment, and not a beat is missed, as the mighty Ryan O'Keeffe thunders away behind his drum kit...
We head down memory lane with, 'Girls in Black', as Joel reminiscences about the bands first time in London at the Borderline back in 2008, sentiment passed, he then jumps upon his roadies shoulders and heads out for a 'Walk', which has now become a staple of every show.
If you're at the back of the auditorium, no worries mate as Joel will head down and say 'hello!' He's also brought some beer cans, which he will happily smack against his head until consciousness is lost or the can explodes... whichever comes first... All the while guitarist and bassist Harri Harrison and Justin Street remain stage side to keep the riffs blasting and low end solid.
The back catalogue stands them in good stead, as there is no filler tonight, 'Bottom Of The Well', 'Breaking Outta Hell' and new track 'Boneshaker' keep the audience pumped and moving. There is not one moment to relax, or be off your guard, whilst security is kept busy with crowd surfers rolling like lemmings off a cliff. It’s all high octane aviation fuel, and believe you me, we are soaring!
The 'Air Raid Siren', is placed in positioned and readied, it’s encore time and Ryan does his duty. With each revolution of the handle the excitement builds for, 'Ready To Rock'... a girl has had enough of being crushed and I help security lift her over the crash barrier, I slip into her space and as the song begins, I'm banging my boots and attempting to dislodge a vertebrae, it’s intoxicating and it’s like a hit of pure adrenaline, I can’t get enough!
Finishing off the night, we have, 'Runnin Wild' and I think of Lemmy in his role as the truck driver from the video... I hope he was looking down tonight, with a sly grin on his face reveling in seeing the pandemonium of the circle pits as beer flies in all directions...
Out of all the times I have seen them, they have never failed to deliver, but this was the best they have ever been... whatever the current band dynamic, it works for their studio work and even more so for their live performance, so remember 'as long as Airbourne are alive and as long as we are alive, Rock' N' Roll will never die!'
