“Gojira” is just one of these bands, which are universally loved amongst the metal community, and they have surely earned it! They possess a catalogue of innovative, hard-hitting metal anthems that have seen them rise to the top of the metal pyramid from their slow, but steady debut years, to their explosive rise to fame in the last 10. Deemed by many as one of the bands who inherited the torch from the 80s giants of metal, the response of the London crowd in Alexandra Palace this past Wednesday, set that statement in stone.
As the fans began to gather under the mighty, but the welcoming roof of the Alexandra Palace, England’s own “Employed To Serve” hit the stage under enigmatic muted colours as they proceeded to fill the venue with their growling metalcore/hardcore punk tracks. The natural stage presence and energy of guitarist Sammy Urwin and bassist Nathan Pryor warmed the crowd up towards the band and soon enough, fans were already crowd surfing and headbanging! Their style and theme are related to that of Gojira, and fans quickly recognized that which made them a good match for an opening band.
They played a total of 7 songs, which was fairly matched with that of the following band. However, their setlist didn’t include the track “Exist” from their latest album “Conquering”, which was ranked by “Loudwire” as 2021’s 6th best metal song. This could be viewed as an indicator of their love for their music and the desire to introduce as many songs as possible to the fans.
Next up, it was time for New Zealand rising stars “Alien Weaponry” to grace the stage. Their set saw drummer Henry de Jong appear on stage first and perform a short, ceremonial Haka dance under a red spotlight. The Haka dance is part of the culture of the Māori people, which the band honours by performing this dance, and by basing the band’s image around it through song titles and meanings. They are true representatives of their unfortunately underrepresented culture, which also, in turn, adds a unique flair to their music, which is part of the reason why they have been receiving such great support from the metal community.
As the other members of the band joined the stage, the party really took off! They were welcomed with echoing cheers as the fans presented their familiarity with the band. Before long, hair was being waved vigorously throughout the whole venue, as they hit the set off with the track “Raupatu”, from their 2018 album “Tū”.
Their set developed to be more vibrant than Employed To Serve’s one, as at times, they were illuminated by bright and vivid colours, which resulted in beautiful moments as guitarist and vocalist Lewis de Jong dramatically headbanged under the spotlight. This proved entertaining and kept the attention of the band throughout. Furthermore, bassist Tūranga Morgan-Edmonds graced the spotlight himself with unique poses with his bass guitar.
Closing the set off with “Kai Tangata”, their most popular song to date, pushed the fans to the extreme as the crowd was going crazy. The energy and style of their songs proved to be more than an adequate “warm up” for the main event, as the more the fans enjoyed themselves, the more the tension for Gojira’s expectance was rising.
As the curtain dropped before the audience, it really was coming time for Gojira! As the venue playlist kept the fans on their feet with classic metal tunes, the impatience in the fans grew bigger, until mouth by mouth, the roof was rattling under the enchanting screams of the French giants.
And just like a wish upon a star, Gojira made it come true and gracefully dominated their way on stage. And in return, the fans blew the roof off the Alexandra Palace!
As a psychedelic backdrop filled the screen, “Born for One Thing” engulfed the entire venue. The venue staff had no idea what they were in for, as the hypnotized fans rushed with full force on their journey through the crowd surf. The sight somewhat resembled the Orcs trying to invade Helm’s Deep; wild would be an understatement! They would go on to gift these faithful fans a fulfilling setlist of 18 songs, which is a true testament to the band’s love for their craft and their fans.
As the set progressed and banger after banger enriched the ears of the fans, their animations caught the eye even more. It was a variety of animations and backdrops to compliment different songs and albums, which were executed so masterfully and with such emotion, that it even diverted the attention from the band at times. A strong example of this would be the animation during the playthrough of the song “Another World”. I have never experienced this kind of delivery of live music and it is safe to say that it is an unforgettable moment and a truly unique approach. This, combined with their excellent and well-timed inclusion of smoke and pyro, helped to form a cohesive and enriching entertainment experience.
Their stage presence for a significant portion of the gig was somewhat laid back and mature, without too much-wasted motion, which could be considered a sign of their maturity as a band and as people. Nevertheless, however, they still had their times of shine, where they showed their devotion to the fans and the desire to connect with them. During drummer Mario Duplantier’s solo, he playfully rotated different plastic boards with “thumbs down”, “thumbs up” and “do you want more” to engage the audience and keep the light mood of the evening. It was another unique action by the band and it was truly appreciated. In general, Mario Duplantier’s and bassist Jean-Michel Labadie’s energy were unmatched throughout the set and they truly take the “W” for crowd engagement.
The whole band truly gave it their all for the London fans who were so eager to see them. Frontman Joe Duplantier didn’t miss a chance to mention Gojira’s gig in a smaller venue back in 2019 and thanked the fans for the opportunity to create an even more successful night this time around. Their humble nature, combined with their rich and unique sound, will truly guarantee their return to London, as the thousands of fans who were in attendance would not miss a chance to repeat an experience like this!
