sorry to disagree with you. heres my review
Well, we are driving to the gig wondering why we are actually going. John Bush in our opinion IS Anthrax and the way he and Rob we removed from the band was disgraceful. But I suppose curiosity and our soft spot for Anthrax has got the better of us and we are going to see them Belladonna and Spitz.
We get their and the place is as busy as it was for Anthrax last time with Bush. Beer at the bar is still a rip off and the bar itself is still far too small considering the number of people it serves.
Two support bands tonight. The first, whose name escapes me right now, are very good. The second Beyond Fear featuring Tim "Ripper" Owens sound like a bad Judas priest rip off.
So onto Anthrax, the room is full and everyone is waiting in anticipation for them to take the stage. The lights dim and through the PA blasts the blues brothers tune before they jump into Among the Living.
Joey is looking very old now, slightly hunched over as he stumbles around the stage. Someone throw this man a zimmer frame he needs help just moving! Scott, Frank and Charlie are as active on stage as ever. Dan however waltz round the stage likes he owns it, smug look on his face nodding (not head banging) to the crowd posing like he should be in Motley Crue not Anthrax!
I have to say I was swept away with the nostalgia of it all as they rip through Metal Thrashing Mad and Got the Time, and so are the rest of the crowd by the look of it. The circle pit for Caught in a Mosh is massive.
Then Joey speaks "after many years ANTHRAX ARE BACK", funny I though I only saw them just over a year ago, I wouldn't consider a year many years, unless of course Joey thinks Anthrx died when he was sacked first time round. "This is the first song from MY second album". My god I thought, they aren't going to play one of the Belladonna the band songs are they, they were truly awful! Luckily they weren't he was actually referring to AIR from Spreading the Disease. Interesting how he refers to it as "MY second album" surely it's Anthrax's album not his. But anyway small points aside they kick off into AIR the crowds enthusiasm has dwindled slightly now, the pit is smaller and Joeys old, tired voice is showing through. His voice can't last a whole gig like John Bush's could.
They follow on with Skeletons in the Closet, Antisocial, NFL, and Medusa. Joey then takes time out to introduce the band. This was a bad move the crowd have not been into the second half of this section of the set as the first. The wave of nostalgia has worn off and the crowd are wondering why some of the better material post 1991 hasn't been played. Joey goes on....
Joey: "I'd like to introduce the best thrash metal band in the world"
Crowd: "SLAYER"
Not a good start to the intro. He goes on and introduces Charlie and Frank before ...
Joey: "and on guitar Dan Spitz"
Crowd: "Boooooo"
I've never heard a boo like that from a crowd before.
Following the introduction of Scott, he takes the mike...
Scott: "and lets not forget our singer..."
Crowd: "JOHN BUSH!!!"
Quickly moving on the band play Indians. Dan is notably absent from the front of the stage and lingers at the back looking pissed off and lacking enthusiasm completely. Following this the band leaves the stage.
After the obligatory chanting for Anthrax they return and kick into Be All, End All. The crowds enthusiasm is all but gone now, Dan Spitz is still sulking at the back of the stage.
At this point we decide to leave, walking out the back we talk to the opening act who are selling their own t-shirts and cd's, we buy one of course. We say we are leaving because Anthrax are woeful without Bush, they say people have been pouring out saying the same thing and that they are in agreement - nice to see an opening act has such faith in it's headliner!
Looking back now, it was a good start, the first half of the set were the same songs they played live with Bush, the second half well it was the early stuff they never used to play live any more because they had better material to play in its place post 1991. It's a shame Joey refuses to play songs post 1991 as the crowd would have retained interest for longer having songs like hy-pro-glo, safe home and inside out instead of substandard early years stuff. It looks to me like Anthrax are trying to erase everything they did between 1991 and 2005. I am disappointed as White Noise and We've come for you all are two of their best albums.
Scott and Charlie, I hope you take note of the crowds reaction tonight - you just can't forget the last 13/14 years like they didn't happen. Your fans will never forget!
Full Setlist
Among the Living
Metal Thrashing Mad
Got the Time
Caught in a Mosh
AIR
Skeletons in the Closet
Antisocial
NFL
Medusa
Indians
Be All, End All
I'm the Man
Aftershock
I am the Law
