For a long time, I’ve been waiting for February to come. There was only one reason: concerts. Many metal concerts. In February, every week there was something special happening in Thessaloniki.

On February 2nd, once again, Primordial appeared on the stage of the Eightball Club. It was the 3rd time I have seen them in the same venue; the last time was in 2019, a while before everything shut down due to Covid.

Primordial is another band that the Greek audience holds dear, as every time I’ve seen them, the venue was always packed. That night, I arrived quite late at Eightball, so I didn’t catch much of the support act. However, from what I saw of the Cypriot band March to Die, I can say they are very talented.

Their riffs were great, and it automatically made you want to headbang. I hope to catch them from start to finish next time.

I mentioned “from start to finish” for a specific reason, as a few minutes before March to Die finished, I was about to meet Alan Averill and the rest of the band because I wanted to take a band photo for a collection I’ve been working on lately.

It was a special moment for me since I’ve held Alan in high esteem for years, both musically and for what he has contributed to the scene. The time for the concert had come. The crowd was shouting “Primordial, Primordial…” passionately. The lights dimmed, and that’s how the show began.

The band was flawless, 100% professional. The sound was excellent, as was their whole performance. Alan, as usual, with his hood on and the severed noose around his neck, did his own performance on stage.

Once again, I’d like to mention the following: for years, I’ve been amazed at how he can make eye contact with everyone in the audience. There isn’t a Primordial concert where you won’t feel Alan Averill staring directly at you, no matter where in the venue you’re standing.

As for their set, there was a main difference from the previous ones. That was “Now it Ends”. It’s the recent album they released in 2023, from which they dedicated a large portion of their setlist. It was my first encounter with this particular album, and I can only say the best about it.

Well, the previous times I saw the Irishmen on stage, they were accompanied by a tray full of Irish shots. This time, their personal “musical” tray accompanied them. Their performance was worth everything. They are a band that if someone hasn’t seen, they must do it immediately.

To conclude this review, it should be noted that this concert was dedicated to one of their biggest fans in Greece, who unfortunately is no longer with us. I’m referring to Nikos “Mac” Zagoyiannis, who loved Ireland and was known for his contribution to the metal scene through the Greek Metal Hammer.

Review and Photos Sotiris Zikas