E-Werk, Cologne, Germany5th August 2019
Prophets Of Rage - European Tour 2019 - Special guests: Nova Twins
The American super group PROPHETS OF RAGE played two exclusive shows in Germany this summer, and one of these led them to Cologne beginning of August. PROPHETS OF RAGE are not a traditional all-star band that is all about using the familiar names of their members to maximize their profits. Consisting of Tom Morello, Tim Commerford and Brad Wilk of RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE, B-Real of CYPRESS HILL and Chuck-D and DJ Lord of PUBLIC ENEMY, this extraordinary super group is all about making a difference. Tom Morello brought the heavyweights of Rap and Crossover together because he lacked a voice of reason in this critical time of burgeoning nationalism, poverty and flight.
Nova Twins
The NOVA TWINS are hailed as London’s newest and hottest Rock music export and the band is a female fronted duo which occupied that night’s opening slot. They have recently released a new single ‘Devil’s Face’ on top of their three EPs already published since 2016. www.novatwins.co.uk / https://www.facebook.com/NovaTwinsMusic
Music & Performance
The E-Werk was pretty full, when NOVA TWINS entered the stage at 8pm sharp. It turned out the duo Georgia South (bass) and Amy Love (vocals and guitar) also brought a drummer for good reasons. It became pretty obvious that The Guardian was right when it titled “NOVA TWINS are all about that bass: the lurching, grinding, seismically distorted, FX-mangled sound that propels the music of this young London duo”. And they put on quite a show which was intensive enough to draw lots of people away from the outside patio with fresh air into the already hot venue. Over the generous forty-minute playtime, the songs became a little indistinguishable, as they seemed to rely on the same elements such as the bass and Amy’s Rap vocals. However, the audience seemed to dig it, as more and more heads started bopping in synch to the grinding beat.
Rating
Music: 7
Performance: 7
Sound: 6
Light: 7
Total: 6.8 / 10
Prophets Of Rage
Typically bands with the attribute “super group” have short lifespan, but this time feels pretty different. With members from bands such as RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE, CYPRESS HILL, PUBLIC ENEMY and AUDIOSLAVE it cannot get any bigger. The self-titled debut in 2017 made it clear PROHETS OF RAGE picked up the torch in terms of the legacy of the aforementioned combos. The new single ‘Made with Hate’, which is a prelude to a new album, makes it clear that they are not letting up, which is good news for fans all around the world. www.prophetsofrage.com / https://www.facebook.com/prophetsofrageofficial
Music & Performance
At 9:10pm, DJ LORD took his place behind his DJ desk on stage and started to take the audience on a wild musical journey through decades of rap and rock. It started with JIMMY HENDRIX’ interpretation of the US national anthem, continued with BODY COUNT’s ‘There goes the Neighbourhood’, which then was followed by BLACK SABBATH’s ‘War Pigs’ and a bunch of other songs. So a lot of iconic tracks got the scratching treatment, and the room felt really warmed-up, when a good 15 minutes later the other five members of the band entered the stage with their fists raised up high to the sound of wailing sirens. PROPHETS OF RAGE kicked off their set with a cover of the namesake PUBLIC ENEMY song, which was fiercely celebrated by the audience.
The band kept their legacy alive and the energy levels sky-high by continuing with the RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE cover ‘Testify’. While the Rap vocals of Chuck D and B-Real are certainly no substitute for the vocal intensity of the legendary Zack de la Rocha, the RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE songs in their new interpretation unfolded the biggest impact on the crowd, turning the E-Werk into a hot and sweaty mess in a heartbeat. PROPHETS OF RAGE stayed on brand and used the song breaks to deliver short but clear messages against racism, fascism and the current US administration without lengthy monologues. Legendary guitarist Tom Morello, who displayed his insane amount of creativity throughout the set, at one point played the guitar with his teeth while turning the back of his instrument towards the crowd, on which a crossed-out swastika was revealed.
Meanwhile, B-Real and Chuck D together with DJ Lord payed tribute to 90ies Hip Hop with a medley of legendary tracks from the predecessor groups as well as the likes of HOUSE OF PAIN and LL COOL J. The party culminated after a good hour of playtime with the RAGE AGAINT THE MACHINE cover ‘Killing in the Name’, during which everyone in the mosh pit gave whatever was left in their tank to party like it was 1992. Sadly, the evening ended without any encore. Instead, the lights went on, and the legendary AUDIOSLAVE song ‘Like a Stone’ was played over the PA speakers, honouring the late Chris Cornell.
Setlist
01. Prophets of Rage (Public Enemy cover)
02. Testify (Rage Against the Machine cover)
03. Unfuck The World
04. Guerrilla Radio (Rage Against the Machine cover)
05. Made With Hate
06. Know Your Enemy (Rage Against the Machine cover)
07. Hail to the Chief
08. Heart Afire
09. Take the Power Back (Rage Against the Machine cover)
10. Hand on the Pump / Can’t Truss It / Insane in the Brain / Bring the Noise / I Ain’t Goin’ Out Like That / Welcome to the Terrordome / Jump Around (Hip Hop Medley with DJ Lord)
11. Sleep Now in the Fire (Rage Against the Machine cover) (With ‘Cochise’ snippet by Audioslave)
12. Living on the 110
13. Bullet in the Head (Rage Against the Machine cover)
14. How I Could Just Kill a Man (Cypress Hill cover)
15. Bulls on Parade (Rage Against the Machine cover)
16. Killing in the Name (Rage Against the Machine cover)
Rating
Music: 9
Performance: 8
Sound: 8
Light: 7
Total: 8 / 10
All Pictures by Keke Dombrowski
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