Ah, the return of Airbourne. In a little over four years they’ve hit this particular venue as many times. The last time I caught them was the second of these occasions in late 2010 on the ‘No Guts, No Glory’ touring cycle. When they initially came here in support of ‘Black Dog Barking’ last year, I didn’t make the effort to see them – partly due to cash, but also because once again, their latest offering of hard rock had failed to match the brilliantly dirty, booze-fuelled debut. After tonight though I feel like a right twat because Airbourne – as they prove time and again – are above all else a quintessential live act.
Ushered in with ‘The Terminator’ soundtrack, the band climactically launch out and straight into the mighty ‘Ready to Rock’. Focal point Joel O’Keeffe owns the entire place from minute one although his bandmates exude nothing less than an electric energy with Ryan O’Keeffe executing those precise beats behind David Roads and Justin Streets who head-bang in unison on either side of the stage. The killer visual aspect to this band – probably comparable to AC/DC in their 70s heyday – is what makes the Airbourne live experience such an event. When the two players either side of the frontman aren’t head-banging furiously, they’re looking up to deliver meaty backing vocals. As ever for this custom-built venue, the sound is pristine from the get-go. Which is just as well really considering that the band very quickly delves into some of the best stuff from the debut: first ‘Too Much, Too Young, Too Fast’, then the almighty ‘Diamond in the Rough’ (“I stuck my finger in the honey [cue finger pointing vigorously to the sky] / Threw my dollar in the we-e-ell”).
Next on the agenda is a bit of alliterative silliness from the second album (represented by a mere two tracks tonight) in the form of ‘Blonde, Bad and Beautiful’. Perhaps unsurprisingly, this piece of woman worship leads into another, far superior one. One of the greatest tracks of all time – and certainly one that the majority of us rock/metal blokes can believe in when singing along – it’s ‘Girls in Black’. Around two-thirds of the way in, Joel goes for his club-mandatory piggy-back ride to the mixing desk. The entire time, the nutter (meant in the best possible way here) continues his prolonged solo up to and including the point at which he’s standing astride the desk itself, draped in floodlight. Such brilliant moves obviously get the bouncing crowd even more absorbed into the experience. And if that’s not enough, ‘Cheap Wine & Cheaper Women’ unifies band and audience completely as the singer speaks un peu de français before downing what is presumably a bottle of tramp juice from the aisles of the local supermarket. Sweet.
‘Black Dog Barking’ is the specific point at which I really feel like a dick for not making the effort last time the band hit this stage. The title track of their most recent album absolutely kicks arse – particularly due to the chorus and those mean, hefty exhortations of “Black Dog / Black Dog Barking”. In a word: awesome. As soon as the band disappears from the stage, semi fearful chants of “We want more!” gather pace to prevent the fun from ending. Soon enough however, a concealed O’Keeffe begins inciting the punters with snarls of “There ain’t no way…”, to which they in turn respond: “…But the hard way”. Following a great bit of interaction, the band returns to launch into the hit song of their sophomore record. ‘Stand Up for Rock ‘n’ Roll’ – one of my three favourite tracks by the band – then closes the main set before warplane sounds and an actual siren operated by the drummer invite us all to ‘Live It Up’. Unsurprisingly, ‘Runnin’ Wild’ closes the show, replete with nods to both Sabbath and AC/DC’s criminally underrated ‘Dog Eat Dog’.
Perhaps the greatest testament to Airbourne’s live prowess is the fact that they consistently manage to get crowds in Luxembourg out of their collective shell. ZZ Top’s recent gig in this place’s bigger hall was an embarrassment with regard to audience participation, and it all but ruined the experience of seeing ‘that little ol’ band from Texas’. Airbourne, however, with their unbelievably consistent levels of exertion, are irresistible… Even to the large number of statues who normally seem to frequent these premises.
Setlist:
Ready to Rock
Too Much, Too Young, Too Fast
No One Fits Me (Better Than You)
Diamond in the Rough
Blonde, Bad and Beautiful
Girls in Black
Cheap Wine & Cheaper Women
Black Dog Barking
No Way But the Hard Way
Stand Up for Rock ‘n’ Roll
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Live It Up
Runnin’ Wild
Review by Jamie
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