Russell Hughes@Newcastle O2 Academy, November 15 2016
Lordi might be best known for their victory on the super trashy Eurovision but their stage performance is the complete antithesis to mindless throwaway pop.
The Finnish hard rockers are slick, rehearsed and professional in everything they do – even down to the bizarre theatrical intervals that punctuated the set at regular points.
The set looked like a Brothers Grimm reimagining of Jack and the Beanstalk, while the nightmarish effect was topped off by a couple of heads skewered onto stakes.
Only a band like Lordi could dress like they do, sing songs like Babez For Breakfast, wheel out nuns, priests, explorers, Skeletor as well as saw a man in half…and still get away with it.
In between the theatrics, the band delighted the crowd with an hour and a half of their finest songs – and they’ve got a lot of material to chose from. It might not feel like it, but their first album was released in 2002 and the prolific rockers have put out seven more since then.
Despite his cosmetic appearance, lead singer Mr. Lordi was surprisingly engaging and even funny. Early on in the night he played along with his monstrous persona, telling the crowd they didn’t have to go to work tomorrow and requesting that they send disagreeing bosses his way.
The band worked their way through a number of their best songs, including some of the choice cuts from their latest album. The Riff, Hug You Hardcore, Devil Is A Loser, Would You Love A Monsterman and Hard Rock Hallelujah were all particularly well received.
Their on stage persona lends perfectly to turning the whole show into a theatrical as well as a musical masterpiece and Lordi have spent a long time perfecting their art. Eurovision might have introduced them to a wider audience but they’ll always stay true to their roots and that’s one of the most pleasing things.
Photo credit: India Fleming. Facebook / Twitter / Instagram