Simon Rushworth
So it’s nearly the end of Hard Rock Hell III and we have to say that the almighty W.A.S.P. totally stole the show. There was not a space to be had as Blackie and his boys took control of Stage 1 and tonight’s version of Chainsaw Charlie (Murders In The New Morgue) was immense.
Sadly Queensryche were dogged by technical problems at the start – just as they were at Milton Keynes a few years back – and it wasn’t until they’d plodded through the American Soldier mid-section that the prog metal kings looked totally at ease. Once into their Empire mini set the ‘Ryche almost pulled it back but by then a large section of the crowd had been lost. Such a shame as Silent Lucidity was delivered with typical panache and this belting ballad remains one of the best the band has ever penned.
New York Dolls didn’t sound great but the crowd seemed to love ’em and a brief glimpse of Goatwhore was frightening to say the least. We can’t quite believe it’s almost bed time but we’ll dream of an amazing weekend of wall-to-wall rock and onion rings to die for. Hopefully we don’t.