WORDS AND IMAGES BY KIERAN ANDREWS
This is Gojira’s 5th stop on their European tour for their newest album “Fortitude” which sees them head to France and Germany after finishing the UK leg of the tour. The band consists of Joe Duplantier on rhythm guitar/ vocals, brother Mario Dupantier on the drums, Christian Andreu on lead guitar and Jean-Michel Labadie playing the bass guitar.
But before that kicking off with a bang are Employed To Serve. And they get the crowd going with their extreme heavy metal set.
They open with “Universal Chokehold” a song that starts with a gentle guitar riff by Sammy Urwin, but it’s like the calm before the storm, after 1 minute the song explodes into life with, fast drums before Justine Jones unleashes her voice. The crowd are really up for this as over 40 crowd surfers came over the barrier almost instantly, They played their 7 song set and it’s hard to believe that Employed to Serve only released their debut album in 201 5.
While their latest album “Conquering” released in 2021 has already been rated by many as one of the top 50 albums in world, With the single “Exist” being rated in the top ten songs the same year.
Next to take the stage are Alien Weaponry.
From New Zealand, they start their set off with the traditional way, the Haka. The first song on their set is “Raupatu”, which wastes no time in going from zero to hardcore, This cultural theme continues into their music with songs such as “Hatupatu” is sung in the Haka rhythm with vocals being sung in English and Maori.
Even though a lot of the reviews of their second album “Tangaroa” state it’s hard to duplicate the critical success of their first album, this doesn’t seem to represent what the fans think here. A hard-hitting set that got the crowd fired up.
Setlist:
1./ Raupatu
2./ Holding My Breath
3./ Tangaroa
4./ Hatupatu
5./ Ahi Ka
6./ Rū ana te whenua
7./ Kai Tangata
A white stage sheet has been erected shielding the stage, soon there starts a 50-second countdown, and a defining roar and chanting of Gojira rings around the arena. The crowd erupts as Gojira shadows are shown behind the sheet. The countdown strikes 1 and the music lets rip, then the first song explodes high tempo, fast-paced, it’s the latest single off the tour album, “Born For One Thing”
The music is hard-hitting and loud. But what else would we expect from Gojira, the band that holds the record for the loudest-ever concert recorded at the Stade de France to date. I’m totally blown away, this is not only my first ever Gojira concert but my first heavy metal concert. All the unwritten crowd rules don’t seem to be a part of a heavy metal show, bumping into people and pushing people is the norm, and these fans are completely submerged into the music they love, lost in the heavy guitar riffs.
The mosh pit to the middle bursts into life, and the steady flow of surfers descend to the front. Each one thanked the stewards for catching them safely. It looks like controlled chaos and the stewards seem to enjoy it just as much as the fans.
Then the show stops for a split second, Gojiar frontman Joe Duplantier wants to check on a fan that took a fall, all is ok and the show blasts back into life.
The three guitar players leave the stage, leaving the drummer to do his own thing. He plays a drum solo, stands and waits for the cheer back at him. This continues twice before on the third drum roll he holds a sign displaying the words louder. This time around the whole arena erupts at the end of the drum solo. He once again stands up and turns the sign around that reads in a different context “yes”.
A clear favourite tonight is “The Chant” where Gojiar ask the audience to sing back the chorus and during the chorus two huge exploding silver confetti canons go off and blanket the crowd.
The band walk of and the stage is empty before you hear a quiet guitar riff starting back up. The encore kicks straight into life, reigniting the mosh pit and the bodies start raining down on top of the crowd once again
Finishing the encore with “New Found” and then onto “Amazonia” both of which take on a different sound for Gojiar leaning towards a less metal, more harmonised style of a chorus. Ending with huge applause for a job extremely well done.
THE SET LIST.
1/ Born for One Thing
2/ The Heaviest Matter of the Universe
3/ Backbone
4/ Stranded
5/ Flying Whales
6/ The Cell
7/ The Art of Dying
8/ Grind
9/ Silvera
1 0/ Another World
1 1/ Llenfant sauvage
12/ Our Time Is Now
1 3/ The Chant
14/ The Gift of Guilt Encore
1 5/ Way of All Flesh
1 6/ New Found
17/ Amazonia
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My life is a soundtrack, i track my life through music, photography is my passion, my escape, my expression. Without both i have pieces missing, thankfully i’m blessed and get to combine both.
Born in Manchester, lived in Australia for 22 years where i was heavily involved in the Australian Music Industry, firstly in bands (Singer) and then managing bands (all original), I moved back to the UK, Wales specifically 10 years ago and married my childhood sweetheart and life is good.
