This machine kills fascists
Clashing with The Killers on the main stage makes for a greatly reduced crowd for BRMC compared with the rest of the days acts on this stage. There's still a healthy throng in the middle but the rest of the tent is sparsely populated. However, as the lights dim and the intro music starts a huge cheer goes up all the same.
They immediately encounter sound problems as they start the set with an acoustic number featuring just Peter Hayes. Not the most gripping start to the proceedings but he does a good job before being joined by the rest of the band. Sound problems again delay the start of the second number but when it does kick in it's a rather surprising folk styled number with some nice three part harmonies. Recent single 'Aint No Easy Way Out' could have come straight out of Woody Guthrie or Bob Dylan although the chorus leans more towards Dylans electric years. Slide guitar and harmonica are all employed but unfortunately get lost in the mix, you can hear them, just not what they're playing!
From the fifth song everything changes, they revert back to the loud rock and roll they are better known for. It's almost like you've watched two different bands, so marked is the difference. It's good stuff all the same and they begin to warm up nicely. Big growling bass lines and wah wah layered guitars are all present as the songs begin to get faster and the crowd gets wilder. There's even some crowd surfing, something you wouldn't have believed at the start of the set.
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There's nothing overly complicated about BRMC but it's easy music to get into and it's good fun!
To view all photos taken during this set click here. There are 17 available.