Audrey Horne / The Mercy House / Sahg

2 May 2013

Camden Underworld, London

 

Crazy, just crazy, where was everyone?  With Thomas Tofthagen set to appear later with Audrey Horne, presumably to give him a break, Sahg took the opening slot to a very sparse Underworld.  The Executioner Undead’s doomy riffs start the set, with a snippet of Thin Lizzy’s Emerald thrown in.

 

Curiously my experience of Sahg setlists is they play more from their debut album and less from each successive release.  The same followed tonight and in fact there was nothing from Sahg III.  However, since they are set to release a new album in October, presumably Sahg IV, the Norwegians treat us to two previews.  Slip Of The Edge Of The Universe hinted good things are to come, though new single Firechild has yet to grip me and playing two new songs back to back caused a little lull in the set.

 

Sahg Sahg Sahg

 

Back to security of Sahg I, and the crushing doom riffs of Godless Faith lifted proceedings before trump card Pyromancer set things on fire.  With more bodies present, Sahg seemed to be getting warmed up, so it was with disappointment that Echoes Ring Forever was announced as the final song of the evening.

 

Sahg setlist:

The Executioner Undead / Soul Exile? / Slip Of The Edge Of The Universe / Firechild / Godless Faith / Pyromancer / Echoes Ring Forever

 

Due to journo related duties, I had to skip The Mercy House but Johan was on hand to get a few shots.

 

Mercy House Mercy House Mercy House 

 

If you didn’t catch a date on this tour believe me you should be kicking yourself.  The venue looked far more respectably attended by the time Audrey Horne assaulted the stage with Redemption Blues.  Assault is a valid description as they barely stood still with frontman Toschie in particularly darting around the stage.  Singing through a megaphone during Bridges & Anchors, Toschie’s eyes dart across the crowd looking for people singing along who get pointed out in respect.

 

Toschie tells us Audrey Horne haven’t been to London in years and is then comically reminded by bassist Espen Lien that they were here in January (it was actually February).  Tonight’s set is identical to that show, expect for the exclusion of The King Is Dead.  Weighing heavily on this year’s Youngblood album, the title track provides a feel good vibe as guitarists Ice Dale and Thomas Tofthagen throw shapes before picking up the pace with Show & Tell.

 

Audrey Horne Audrey Horne Audrey Horne 

 

The response is more than warm leading Toschie to tell us, “Manchester was good, but you are awesome.”A slow build up leads to a majestic Firehose with Ice Dale and Tofthagen playing out the closing riff perched on the stage front monitors.  Later things are brought to a brief halt with some issues with one of the guitar amps, though this isn’t allowed to break the momentum with Toschie trying a bit of stand up and Kjetil Greve and Lien playing respective impromptu drum and bass solos.

 

Back on track, Toschie disappeared into the crowd during Threshold, but not to be outdone, Ice Dale, Tofthagen and Lien all repeat the stunt during Blaze Of Ashes.  This Ends Here didn’t live up to its name, with Straight Into Your Grave left to send us all home with s**t eating grins.  So now Audrey Horne command both first and second best sets of 2013 thus far, though I couldn’t choose between them.

 

 Audrey Horne Audrey Horne

 

Audrey Horne setlist:

Redemption Blues / Bridges & Anchors / Youngblood / Show & Tell / There Goes a Lady / Firehose / Cards with the Devil / Pretty Little Sunshine / Threshold / Blaze Of Ashes / This Ends Here / Straight Into Your Grave

 

 

LINKS:

http://www.audreyhornemusic.com/

http://themercyhouse.wix.com/the-mercy-house

http://www.sahg.no/site/