Five Finger Death Punch - O2 Academy, Glasgow - April 3 2014 (Live Review)
Monday, 07 April 2014
Written by Heather McDaid
When a tour has taken you all over the shop, the least you can expect is to end it on a high. After countless dates in a numerous countries, it's in Glasgow on a dreary April night where this particular run must come to a close. Luckily, just as Five Finger Death Punch are well versed in anarchic live shows, Glaswegians are more than happy to reciprocate.
Michigan rockers Pop Evil open the evening with an ambitious combination of influences. Some riffs are plucked from a Slipknot album and there are nods to Korn, while Leigh Kakaty's shrieks rival Kyo of Dir En Grey at times. The band put in a solid set to a growing crowd, aided by members of Five Finger Death Punch appearing mid-set for a game of basketball.
Upon A Burning Body have less of an issue with familiarity, with a number of fans already in attendance. The band’s suited-and-booted frontman, Danny Leal, doesn't so much ask that you move as demand it during big hitters Texas Blood Money and Sin City and - as before - the headliners are more than happy to appear, this time for an impromptu drinking contest.
Even with two strong opening acts, it’s clear that the evening belongs to Five Finger Death Punch. From the first foot set on stage, Glasgow is a mass of cheers and constant action. Ivan Moody’s penchant for shaking the hands of crowd surfers at festivals precedes him, his mere presence prompting punters to clamber over their fellow gig goers within seconds.
Under and Over It and Hard To See set the bar early, the barrier shuddering from the pressure of Glaswegian appreciation. Bad Company is the first cover of the evening, followed by Burn MF, which sees two young guys pulled on stage. After a haphazard chat with security to locate the exact duo Moody had picked out, they offer vocal support for the chorus. But, what sums the moment up is the fact that they just go nuts after being hauled up. It’s that kind of night.
With quieter moments sprinkled throughout their well honed brand of disorder, the evening climaxes with The Bleeding. Five Finger Death Punch's live reputation precedes them, and they've yet to disappoint.
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