It was good to see the Hellyeah boys getting into the social media with some snapshots of Vinnie Paul taken around Auckland City added to band’s hype of being in New Zealand, Paul fits the tourist part to a tee however even in cold wintery Auckland he’d soon be instantly recognised
Auckland’s studio is home to some gigs in the past (and some I couldn’t care less to mention) but tonight it was the boys from Texas turn to turn up the volume and incite some good ol’ fun I the mosh pit on the anniversary of Dimebag Darrells birthday
As the boys took to the stage the crowds attention turned front of stage as the familiar cacophony of Soul Killer breathed life into the venue, its monster guitar riffing & frantic drumming setting the crowd alight as bassist Kyle Sanders spewed blood onto lead vocalist Chad Gray as he encouraged the crowd ‘I wanna see some fuckin’ moshing going on up here’ before the crowd started chanting Blood For Blood
Gray recognisably mohawked and animated was on song tonight, his trademark scream shows why he’s one of the best metal vocalists around, it’s almost like a high register hiss as the band romped through their playlist, while older track War got the live treatment the band took a hiatus as Gray took to the stage connecting to Kiwi fans, almost like a rock n roll evangelist, his message simple: “One truth that I have since I fucking found it, that hasn’t turned its back is Heavy Metal music”
Radio hit Moth, Cross to Bier & Say When current faves off the latest album rounding out the set nicely before Vinnie Paul called everyone together for a wee drink to his brother toasting. ‘He gave you every fucking thing he had day & night, and I want to thank you for keeping his legacy alive’
It’s a show that the band gave 100%, you could feel the connection with the group while the audience the conduit for the bands energy equally gave back. Hush, Cowboy, Wouldn’t Know continued the workout onstage and down below in the pit, guitarist Tom Maxwell with head quietly bowed was furious on the riffs, his interaction with animated bassist Kyle Sanders & Christian Brady didn’t let up all night, before crowd chant favourite Hellyeah took the band out on a high. Not many bands have the energy and balls to rock an audience this hard, as Chad Gray says they came ‘to bring the noise’ and bring it they did