Million Dead prove they're worth the wait
Now I confess that when I first heard Million Dead's debut LP 'A Song to Ruin' I wasn't wholly convinced, there was something about it but I couldn't put my finger on it. Like many good albums though, it seeps into your brain the more you play it & it starts to sound better & better. Ok, so I'm convinced but if there are still any doubters out there may I suggest that you check out Million Dead live. From the opening track 'Pornography for Cowards' Million Dead give it their all, it is a performance bursting with energy from every member of the band. This is all the more impressive due to the fact that musically they are as tight as a face lift!
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This is the third 'club night' warm up for their forthcoming 'Living the Dream' tour. The crowd is small but extremely partisan & there's a hardcore of thirty or so kids down at the front that know every single word (& that's no mean feat considering the complexity of the lyrics). Singer Frank obligingly screams into people's camera phones, digital cameras or even just their faces, the kids love it & scream right back, this kind of intimate interaction with fans is what makes a dedicated following & for sheer effort Million Dead deserve at least that.
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New(ish) guitarist Tom fills the place left by Cameron with consummate ease, the sound is big but always controlled & complements Bens incisive drumming. There is a sprinkling of songs from the (as yet unreleased) new album in the set tonight (release date May 16th) & on first listen I don't think anyone's going to be disappointed, they blend into the set with ease & are rapturously received.
The longer the set goes on the more both crowd & band get into it, it's both entertaining & interesting to watch a band with so much belief in themselves, clearly loving what they do feeding off an appreciative crowd. I get the impression though that Million Dead would still be going for it if they were playing to an empty room!
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Bassist Julia is a little dynamo, she grins all the way through & boy can she play. Down here at R13 Towers we have a thing about girls with guitars & I think we've just found ourselves a new heroine.
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Million Dead are very impressive & if the new album lives up to expectations then it could be a big year for them. I'm not sure how well they would come across on a bigger stage but for small intimate venues such as the Bierkeller they come across pretty damn well.
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Rounding the set off with the cataclysmic ending to 'Rise & Fall' the crowd are left with their ears ringing & gagging for more.
If there were one downside tonight it's that they didn't come on until gone 11.30pm & on a school night too! When it's this good though who cares?
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Review from Manchester, photos from Derby.
To view all photos taken during this set click here. There are 27 available.