We got there early enough to take in the two opening bands, both from here in the UK. First up was Dendera, who absolutely blew me away. Fantastic musicians, well written songs and the singer was just amazing. Putting one in mind of a combo of King Diamond and James Labrie with a bit of Bruce Dickenson. He had such great range and power and I'd love to see them again and hear more. Next up was Savage Messiah. Twin guitars blazing,machine gun fire drumming and another fantastic vocalist. They reminded me of Flotsam and Jetsam back in the day and it was awesome. Then finally, Armored Saint. They came out with such power and energy, after all these years, they haven't lost a bit of what makes them such a great live band.I used to sneak out of my house to go see them back when I was a teenager in California.As usual, Joey Vera was always in motion as he jammed out his signature precision bass grooves, Phil, Gonzo and Jeff Duncan were like a powerhouse machine, all topped by John Bush's vocals. The crowd was absolutely loving it, singing along, headbanging, fists high in the air. They played a great mix of classics along with a few from the fantastic new album, Win Hands Down. And that's exactly what this show was, a win, hands down.
Julian Lage
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