8/11/2014 Motörhead @ Wembley Arena

So it finally happens - the day some thought might never come. Motörhead are back! Yes, after the last two occasions I bought a ticket to see Motörhead they got refunded both times when tours were cancelled due to Lemmy's ill health - this time I get to see them play. Naturally I was delighted (if a little apprehensive) when a new Motörhead tour was finally announced, but a little dismayed when I found out the venue for the London show was to be the dreaded Wembley Arena. Still, if that's where they are playing then that's where I've got to go - after all you never know these days if it will be the last time. Still, I've been to see the band headline this venue before so I can do it again. I didn't have to pay last time at Wembley, but this time it's the most I've ever had to pay to see Motörhead. To be fair, a show at this venue is never going to be cheap - although I have seen bigger productions by KISS and Alice Cooper at this same venue is recent times for around the same (or less) money. The Damned are supporting so it's a good bill though.

Unfortunately I bought my ticket too late for it to be posted to me, so I had to go and pick it up in person from the West End on the day of the show. Actually that worked out quite well in the end as to get the tube to the gig I had to travel into town and then out again to Wembley anyway. The cost of my journey would have been the same regardless, and still cheaper than it would have cost to have the ticket posted to me - and my journey time was virtually the same too. Another byproduct of this was that I could have a couple of drinks at a West End Wetherspoons on the way to the gig - this was good as I had no intention of getting ripped off by the bars at the venue - £5 a pint of something horrible! I found this stuff in the pub and couldn't resist!

It was so nice I had to have another - which unfortunately led to me missing the first part of The Damned's set. However, I wasn't too disappointed as I'd read online earlier that it was only the later part of the band's set which was really good.

I arrived as The Damned were playing their classic 'Smash It Up' and things went well from there. There are only two original members of the band left these days - singer Dave Vanian and the one and only Captain Sensible on guitar, although the Captain originally played bass in the band. The other 3 current members of the band are just 'making up the numbers' to be honest, although they are good musicians. Keyboard player Monty Oxymoron can be a bit OTT and rather annoying.

The Captain gave Lemmy a namecheck and thanked him for having The Damned on the bill for the tour - he went on to say that if it wasn't for Lemmy the band wouldn't even exist as he saved them by playing bass for The Damned briefly in their early days. Lemmy has always liked this band anyway, and this isn't the first time they have supported Motörhead.

The Damned turn in a decent (although not great) show and play the expected 'Greatest Hits' type of set including the more Goth 'Eloise' cover as well as their punkier songs like 'Neat Neat Neat', 'Love Song', and of course their classic 'New Rose'. Not the best I've seen from the band, but I certainly enjoyed their set more than some of the more 'metal' support bands Motörhead have had in the past.

So, at last the mighty Motörhead take to the stage. It's well known that the band's iconic figurehead Lemmy has suffered some serious health problems over the past few years - all that hard living finally catching up with him I guess. To be fair he is now 68 years old so it's only to be expected that he is going to slow down a bit. He doesn't look like he has any intention of slowing down tonight though! Two tours have been cancelled due to Lemmy's health in the last 18th months or so, and last year he had to cut a festival set short in Germany as he hadn't recovered enough. Motörhead supported Black Sabbath in Hyde Park earlier this year and the reports of Lemmy's performance on that day weren't too encouraging either, although he got through the set (possibly against his better judgment) and said he actually felt great afterwards. He has apparently been feeling much better since then and has been making good progress regaining his strength. Tonight he seems far more like his old self, although he looks noticeably thinner now. Then again, he used to be pretty skinny in the band's earlier days anyway. So how are Motörhead tonight? They are pretty good. I've seen them better, and I've seen them worse - on one occasion when Lemmy was first starting to get health problems which have since been better diagnosed and dealt with. I wouldn't say Lemmy is quite back at 100%, but he's certainly a lot better than he has been, and remember he is 68 years old regardless of how healthy he is. He was never an animated frontman leaping about all over the stage posing and throwing shapes - he just stands there and does what he does - pretty much like he always did. He turns in a good performance in his own unique style, and sings OK - as much as he ever does anyway. He certainly plays bass very well tonight - he is bloody good at what he does. He's not quite as chatty tonight as I have seen him, but certainly getting back into form and still showing some of that attitude.

Needless to say, Phil and Mikkey play guitar and drums well as usual, although we have to put up with the usual solos from both of them. Lemmy never subjects us to bass solos, but I think he has always liked the other members of the band taking long solos as it gave him a chance for a fag break. But he's had to stop smoking now, as well as cut down massively on his drinking so maybe he's just sitting down taking a breather....  The set contains plenty of crowd pleasers as usual - 'No Class', 'Killed By Death', etc. I'm particularly pleased to hear 'Damage Case' and 'Doctor Rock', and we also get 'Stay Clean', 'Metropolis', 'Over The Top', 'The Chase Is Better Than The Catch', 'Just 'Cos You Got The Power', and 'Rock It'. Naturally there isn't anywhere near enough time to feature a song from every album and 'Iron Fist' and 'Bomber' were conspicuous by their absence - but you can't have everything. Things slowed down briefly with 'Lost Woman Blues' - considering this was supposed to be the (delayed) 'Aftershock' tour I was rather disappointed that this was the only song from the band's latest album. I was really hoping to hear a few songs from 'Aftershock' as it's a great album and the band's best for many years - the best since 'Inferno' in my opinion. Over the past year I have listened to 'Aftershock' far more than any other album by any band so I did feel a little let down not to hear the likes of 'Heartbreaker', 'Do You Believe', 'Crying Shame' or 'Keep Your Powder Dry' - all cracking songs!

As usual Lemmy introduced 'a rock 'n' roll song' (always my favourites from this band) in the form of the always popular 'Going To Brazil' before the inevitable 'Ace Of Spades' - which I didn't think Phil Campbell actually played that well tonight. Then it was encore time and the equally inevitable 'Overkill' - a lesser song than 'Ace Of Spades' in my opinion although I'm sure there are those who won't agree.

And so all too soon the show was over. It was well under an hour and a half, but I guess Lemmy is still having to take things a bit on the easy side - and I'd rather have a good show lasting an hour and a quarter than a longer one with things flagging towards the end. And I have to say that apart from the slower first part of 'Lost Woman Blues' there was no let-up through the whole show - it was pretty relentless. Which is just what we want from a Motörhead show! It was a good mixture of 'The hits' and some less often heard songs spanning the band's long career - definitely something for everybody. In fact quite a lot for everybody. No gimmicks, no fancy stage show or big production (although I'd love to see 'The Bomber' again some day) and not even any 'special guests'. Apparently both 'Fast' Eddie Clarke and Philthy 'Animal' Taylor put in appearances on stage at the previous show of the tour, although Philthy didn't play as sadly he has his own health issues these days. However, the mighty Motörhead don't need any flash props or guests - they just need to do what they do best - get up there and play their own unique brand of rock 'n' roll - fast and very LOUD! After my initial reservations about the venue, I actually enjoyed the experience far more than I have enjoyed the band's more recent shows at Brixton Academy and Hammersmith Odeon - due to the horribly overcrowded conditions in those venues and feeling I was being herded about like cattle - both those venues are awful places to drink as well and as I'd already had some quality ales on my way to Wembley I didn't really miss drinking at the venue at all. I felt I got value for money after waiting so long to see the band again. My ears haven't been ringing so loudly after a show for a very long time...