Live Review: Monster Magnet - Bochum 2018

Zeche, Bochum, Germany
16th May 2018
Monster Magnet - “Mindfucker Tour” 2018 - Special Guests: Table Scraps, ¡Pendejo!

The Space Rock legends MONSTER MAGNET from New Jersey are back on tour throughout Europe with their newly released album, aptly titled ‘Mindfucker’. Listening to this album only underscores the impression they left last fall during their last live appearance in Dortmund: Singer Dave Wyndorf is bursting with energy as if he had just started his three decades-long career.


¡Pendejo!

The Rock band ¡PENDEJO! from Amsterdam did not blink at the chance to support MONSTER MAGNET for their club tour. The band has formed somewhere in 2006, and they have released two albums so far with the most recent one called ‘Cantos a la vida’, which was released in 2017. And when your band name is featured on Wikipedia in the article “Spanish profanity”, you know where these guys are going with this. https://www.facebook.com/pendejoband / www.pendejoband.com

Music & Performance
Shortly before 8pm, sounds of a terribly cheesy Spanish folk songs emanated from the speakers, during which the five ¡PENDEJO! members entered the stage. From the beginning it became clear that this would be a totally different show, as the band featured a dedicated trombonist among them, and also the vocalist wielded a trumpet. ¡PENDEJO! took no prisoners and immediately started pumping out their version of Stoner Rock inspired Metal with Spanish lyrics, of which the majority were good enough to make even the most hardened gang member blush.



It all turned out to be an immensely loud (someone obviously bribed the PA guy) spectacle - imagine an out-of-control ‘Dia de los muertes’ procession in Mexico City paired with some heavy guitar riffing - and after some adjustment, the audience started to love it. People started to ask around for the name of the band, because the band leader seemingly did not want or did not care to introduce the band and their songs in English. However, this did not seem to discourage people from having a good time during the obligatory thirty minutes play time, after which the band received excited applause from the audience.

Rating
Music: 7
Performance: 8
Sound: 7
Light: 6
Total: 7 / 10

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Table Scraps

TABLE SCRAPS are a trio from Birmingham, UK. They have formed somewhere in the beginning of this decade and have a recently released most recently their second album called ‘Autonomy’. https://www.facebook.com/tablescrapshq / www.tablescrapsband.com

Music & Performance
Shortly before 9pm, the three band members of TABLE SCRAPS finalized their sound check and started their set. Vocalist Scott Abbott filled the room with the rich distorted sound of a twelve-string electric guitar and ultra-distorted vocals from his mic. Drummer Poppy Twist and bass player TJ provided the foundation for the band’s characteristic Noise Punk Rock, which sounded live much more edgy and spectacular than on record. Drummer Poppy seemed to be on a rampage that day, as she first broke a drum stick, which was then sent flying into the air.



Later on, she broke the foot pedal of her base drum, which took a little longer to repair. However, this blended in well with the insouciant punk rock aura the trio exuded during their performance. I personally would have hoped for a little more interaction with the audience, but everyone including the band seemingly had a good time during their 30-minute set, which ended around half past 9pm.

Rating
Music: 7
Performance: 7
Sound: 8
Light: 6
Total: 7 / 10

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Monster Magnet

It is fair to say that Stoner (or Space) Rock would not exist in the same form today if it were not for MONSTER MAGNET and the master mind behind it, Dave Wyndorf, and his three-decade long devotion to their genre-defining music. For more about the band check out www.monstermagnet.net / https://www.facebook.com/monstermagnet.

Music & Performance
Shortly before 10 pm, the lights went out, and the band entered the stage. Dave Wyndorf - seemingly rejuvenated and much more relaxed than almost a year ago - was the last to join the stage and the band opened their set with the classic ‘Dopes to Infinity’ from the 1995 album with the same name. Accompanied by the frenetic cheering of 800 fans in the sold-out Zeche, the band doled out the first three songs from their most recent album ‘Mindfucker’ in a row.



As usual, the frenzy among the audience was dampened a little, as the seemingly unknown songs took their time to sink in, but the heavy riffing of the two seasoned guitarists, the psychedelic lava lamp-like projections in the background, and Dave’s trippy, reverb-fuelled voice offered enough familiarity for the people to embrace the songs with cheers. The gig picked up steam again with another all-time classic from the band’s extensive song portfolio, the epic ‘Look to Your Orb for the Warning’, which sent the people in the mosh pit into frenzy. The upward trajectory was kept intact by two more songs (one of them the undying ‘Negasonic Teenage Warhead’), and, after 45 minutes of playtime, it all culminated in the whole room screaming ‘Spacelord Motherfucker’ in unison during THE Monster Magnet song of all.



However, what followed left people slightly flabbergasted, as Dave and his band mates said good night and threw sticks and plecs into the crowd and left the stage. This was not expected at all at this stage. Steady clapping and whistling during what felt like ages brought the band back onto the stage for a three-song encore, and after the last feedbacks of the last song ‘Powertrip’ had vanished, it was time to depart after 75 minutes of playtime. For fans of the band this concert definitely was worth their while to see that MONSTER MAGNET are still very much alive and kicking. However, on a sad note, the short playing time left so many epic songs of the band (how about any from the debut album ‘Superjudge’?) un-played, which leaves much to desire for future headline tours.



Setlist
01. Dopes to Infinity
02. Rocket Freak
03. Soul
04. Mindfucker
05. Radiation Day
06. Look to Your Orb for the Warning
07. When the Hammer Comes Down
08. Negasonic Teenage Warhead
09. Space Lord
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10. Ejection
11. End of Time
12. Powertrip

Rating
Music: 9
Performance: 8
Sound: 8
Light: 9
Total: 8.5 / 10

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All pictures by Andreas Gey (Kommodore Johnsen)