The name Cavalera carries great respect both in and outside of the metal community – that is unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last few decades. So when a tour entitled the Maximum Cavalera Tour announces it is coming to town, excitement begins to stir and patience begins to wear thin with every passing day that edges us closer. Soulfly kicked off February for an intimate Irish crowd as they stormed the stage in Dublin’s Academy and took no prisoners in doing so.
An intense metal showcase was presented to the nights ever growing audience. A showcase that proved wrong anyone who ever said that there was no variance to be found in metal. Opening band, Arizona’s own Lody Kong bore some obvious signs of youth but not in their playing. The young band gave their all to the die hard audience and won them over respectively. The crowd are set up nicely for Arizona’s more seasoned pros and with that Incite took the stage and did so with no foreplay. From start to finish Incite never let the crowd off the hook. A hook the crowd were happy to be on as the band gave only their best. Finally, Australia’s King Parrot performed what can only be described as the friendliest violent confrontation a person can witness! To say they kept the audience attention would be an understatement as water flew, members crowd surfed, bare asses paraded the stage and orders to “SMILE DAMMIT!” were dished out to name but a few highlights.
Three bands later, the sweat box room jam packed with fans who cannot wait anymore begin to chant. A short changeover later, their patience is rewarded and their chants answered as Soulfly took to the stage ready to party Irish style. Opening track “We Sold Our Souls To Metal” is well received as an anthem and sets the night off beautifully. “Archangel” acts as the last of the new material to open the night and Soulfly classics begin to make an appearance. “Prophecy”, “Tribe”, “Back To The Primitive” among others see the crowd turn the venue from a respectable, intimate club into a playing field for all things Soulfly. For those not familiar with the bands live show, on this particular occasion this means the intimate venue filled with tables, pillars and seating booths would not get in the way of their good time. Circle pits were ran around the pillars, tables and booths were used as pedestals and diving boards for crowd surfers, and when it came time in the set list for Sepultura classics such as “Refuse/Resist” and the legendary “Roots Bloody Roots”, well, you can imagine!
Max Cavalera proved why he was and still is one of the greats with his performance (not that the man has anything left to prove). His microphone was in the audience for back and forth chants as much as it was on stage, the same can be said for Max as he left the stage on more than one occasion to be one with his audience. As the night closed with “Eye For An Eye” and a quick Iron Maiden instrumental from the band as Max left the stage, the night came to a close.
When you look at the history, the catalog and their performance on any given night it is hard to imagine why anyone would think that Soulfly were ever going to live in Sepultura’s shadow. Max Cavalera is a man of many bands and many talents but his influence on the projects he is involved in is evidence enough that something special happens wherever this man goes. The same can be said for this cold Tuesday night in February at Dublin’s Academy. Irish fans were treated to a special night indeed as Soulfly turned this intimate venue into an arena for their fans to enjoy the music in and, as always, earned themselves the welcome to pop by for a pint any time!
Thanks Michelle at Cosa Nostra PR for the support \m/
