Date: 5th October, 1983
Venue: Hammersmith Odeon, London
Setlist:
Support: Budgie / Tobruk
Photos: Robert Ellis
Review: Justine Cole, Kerrang!
Having focused my attention on the stage, it came as a surprise to me that the band performing were definitely not of the feathered variety. Instead, filling the bottom-of-the-bill slot were Tobruk, who turned in a short but refreshingly classy set, thus saving Budgie from the considerable indignity of opening for Diamond Head.
How times, in fact, have changed for Budgie. A little under a year ago, they played the same venue as a headline band and one has to feel a certain amount of sympathy for a band who slowly seem to be fading away. However, even I, not the most ardent of Budgie fanciers, had to admit they delivered a credible and entertaining performance proving that they could still have something to offer.
To the crowd’s appreciation, Budgie commenced with ‘Crime Against The World’, definitely a number well suited to their three-piece formation. ‘Truth Drug’ and ‘Hold On To Love’, though, suffered from the absence of the keyboards which Budgie introduced on their last tour. As a trio, Budgie need the extra depth which keyboards provide – the songs from their last LP ‘Deliver Us From Evil’, tended to sound tonight rather empty as a result.
Despite lingering throat problems which apparently also blighted him last time out, tonight Burke Shelley managed to sound quite passable at times. They say that birds of a feather stick together and I’ve a feeling it’s a little too early to write Budgie off as a spent force quite yet.
The ever-faithful intro tape to ‘Am I Evil’ launched Diamond Head into a set which was bedevilled with sound problems. However, the band successfully overcame the problems of a decidedly dodgy PA and performed a nicely paced set, striking a good balance of old and new material whilst proving that the recent line-up changes have made the band a stronger live unit.
The introduction of keyboards to the fold had to be an obvious progression for Diamond Head’s live sound and works well on both old and new songs, adding an extra dimension to ‘Sucking My Love’ (or ‘Such Is My Love’ as Harris modestly introduced it) and tastefully embellishing a polished version of ‘To The Devil His Due’. Whilst Josh Phillips-Gorse deft touches were almost non-existent at the start of the show, they stamped greater authority on the numbers as the gig progressed.
A fine version of ‘Call Me’ (unfortunately marred because the PA chose to cut out) proved that Diamond Head’s greatest strength lies more in their more commercial material. It’s then that their professionalism shines through. ‘Call Me’, together with a spritely version of ‘Makin ‘ Music’ and the jaunty ‘I Need Your Love’, broke the set up nicely, acting as a good antidote to the band’s more ponderous, involved side represented by ‘Knight Of The Swords’ and ‘Canterbury’.
In attempting to introduce some much needed diversification into the increasingly dirgy HM scene, Diamond Head have taken a cooly calculated risk which may or may not pay dividends and one can only hope that their adventurous attitude will see them prosper.
Justine Cole
Kerrang Magazine, November, 1983.