Look what the bats dragged in!
The voices of the crowd are a little shriller than usual, due in no small part to the large number of kids in tonight (some with bemused parents in tow!). There is also a fine array of outfits and painted faces on display (that wins the W13 crowd the prize for 'best dressed' over Cradle of Filth, also in town this week!). With 700 pre sales it's a healthy crowd but some way from being sold out.
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The audience have been well warmed up by the support band (69 Eyes) and start chanting for Wednesday13 almost as soon as they leave the stage. The W13 set features matching drapes over the speakers sporting cross shovels (presumably for grave digging purposes), both of which are topped off with a fetching collection of severed heads. The homely ambiance is finished off with the W13 backdrop and a mic stand covered in skulls. Oh yes, the stage is set.
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After much more chanting for Wednesday and me resisting the urge to tell everyone it's Monday, the band finally emerge. The sound is a little ropey in the first song that results in the guitar being lost in the mix a bit but this is soon rectified. W13 as a band are great to watch. Sure, they have the whole make up package but they can also play and really go for it. It's the first listen to many of the new tracks tonight and on the whole they sound pretty good, there are one or two that are not quite as strong but certainly no duff numbers.
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The crowd are in fine fettle but reserve their best 'go mental' frenzy for the smattering of Murderdolls tracks aired tonight. Five or six songs in another head is brought out (well you can never have too many) from which W13 proceeds to flick brains at the crowd, nice! So far it's been a good mix of the horror punk/rock and roll that has become W13's trademark, the title track of the new album slows things down a bit (Transylvania 90210) but it's soon business as usual with the Murderdolls 'Love at First Fright'. It's during this track that the lights turn on the crowd and they go ballistic with a sea of hands giving devil horn salutes.
Of the new material we also get 'Look What the Bats Dragged In' and the stand out track for me 'Haunt Me' which has a great shout along chorus. There is a lot of crowd posing tonight including one girl that insists on whipping out a can of hairspray half way through. Still, it all adds to the entertainment.
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On stage the lights go down and W13 parades a pumpkin head across the front rows before we get another couple of Murderdolls songs in the shape of 'Die My Bride' and 'Graverobbing USA' (there was also 197666 in there somewhere!).
The encore is probably the highlight of the evening starting with the classic 'I love to say F***' during which W13 opens up an umbrella emblazoned with the offending word. Needless to say the whole crowd joins in, highly amusing and highly entertaining. They round off the set with the single 'I Walked With a Zombie' and then they're gone.
If you've never heard W13 don't be put off by the image, the music is great and has enough to appeal to fans of punk and metal alike. Hell, even if you don't like the music go and see them live, a great live band! Good fun all round.
To view all photos taken during this set click here. There are 28 available.