The mighty Beastwars are touring again, this time as an anniversary celebration of the decade since their first album was released and also celebrating the reissue of aforementioned album. I saw them last trip in 2019 in support of their fourth and possibly best album and I thought I needed to see them again particularly to get mu hands on a copy of the reissued album but another incentive was the support bands, Earth Tongue and especially Saint Satori.
I was lucky to get tickets as I left it quite late but still I managed just a couple of weeks out from the gig to secure myself one. Saint Satori, a local Christchurch band, had put out their first album last year I think it was and although completely unknown to me at the time, it was recommended by the owner of my local record emporium and one of his staff was the bass player. Turned out it was an inspired recommendation and so I was pretty keen to finally catch them live. A great start to the night.
They were first up just past 9pm to a nearly full house as the crowd was still straggling into the venue. Most of the songs I recognised now of course, after having their record for a time and I was really impressed with the singer as I thought I would judging from the record. Anthea has a powerful voice and can hold some rather long notes and can really belt it out, she is the highlight of the band. Their gothic doomy heavy rock was great and I enjoyed their set. A great start to the night.
Wandered to the back of the venue in the break between bands and found a friend who I new was coming along and we chatted a while until Earth Tongue started up. Stayed at the back of the venue for Earth Tongue's set and I didn't enjoy them as much as the last time I saw them in a smaller venue with a much smaller audience. A duo of drums and guitar and Gussie Larkin gets a LOT of sound out of that guitar as they thunder through several tracks I know from their EP that I have. Really grungy sound and quite far removed from the great Indie Pop that Gussie also fronts called Mermaidens. In Earth Tongue she gets to release her inner bogan.
Headed nearer front and center for the start of Beastwars set when they finally hit the stage and managed to stay there for about four or five songs of their thunderous doomy sludgy metal until I'd had enough of being pushed around by all the bodies jammed so tightly together as happens nearer the stage, after which I headed back and found my friend nearer the center of the venue. They played most of the stuff from their first record of course so I was not actually familiar with what they were playing. Volume was loud but not over distorted, and it was all full on as you'd expect. Towards the end of the set they started playing some stuff off their last record and as I knew this stuff better I enjoyed the last four songs of the evening the most and they are powerful riff monsters. It was interesting they finished their set and although the audience was into it, they weren't overly ecstatic and they did not demand an encore which surprised me.
I did not make any videos but this one from another gig gives an idea what was witnessed.
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