Mastodon, Spring & Airbrake

I had been looking forward to this gig for some time and was eager to hear the band showcase the new album 'Blood Mountain'. Last week came the news that it was being moved from the Mandella Hall to the Spring & Airbrake due to poor ticket sales. I couldn't believe it. Arguably the best metal band on the planet at this time and the tickets weren't selling?!

24 hours before the gig, tickets were sold out - surprise surprise - and we were greeted at the enterence by a very long queue. Inside, the place was packed to the rafters and I'm sure it exceeded health and safety regulations.

Opening act Triggerman were excellent and Keith bought their CD so I'm looking forward to hearing it at some point. What's more, they're a local band so fingers crossed they'll get bigger over the next year. Then came a band from, I think, Carrickfergus called Saviour who weren't my cup of tea but I thought their drummer was excellent.

By this stage there wasn't much space available and some prick had thrown up stinking the place up but Mastodon took to the stage and all was quickly forgiven....

...until the sound cam blasting through the speakers. A heavy buzzing bass sound making the guitar and vocals almost unintelligible.

I had hoped that the sound would improve over the course of the first couple of songs thinking there was some fault that could be fixed but whatever it was, it made the bands sound bass-heavy, fuzzy and totally unlistenable.

It was a damn shame because the band were putting on a great show and if we could hear them as we were meant to, I would have thought it would be one of my favourite gigs of the year. As it is, it's one to sadly forget.