This shouldn't be a fair review at all. You see, I'm very vocal about my hatred for Extreme yet I have seen them live once before and have to concede that they weren't that bad. They played Donington in 1994 alongside Pantera, Sepultura and Biohazard, and I have to admit that I was looking forward to throwing piss at them because that's what you did with shit festival acts back then. However, their performance was such that I dropped my urine filled container and watched the rest of their set in the company of warm, overpriced beer.
Fast forward twenty years and I'm watching them again, this time as a treat for my wife, who is a big fan. She was excited as this tour marked the 25th anniversary of the Pornograffitti album and they would be playing the album in full. I had no bottle of piss this time around but I was no more enthusiastic about seeing them again.
It is all the more surprising then that Decadence Dance is such a powerful opener, and it is immediately apparent that they are much rockier than they are on record. The band are tight and Loud, Gary Cherone sounds great and the vocal harmonies are excellent. Li'l Jack Horny has a swaggering groove and, unlike its studio counterpart, it has balls. Get The Funk Out is performed with energy and Nuno's guitar solo is blistering. He Man Woman Hater has a good groove while Nuno's show off piece, Flight Of The Wounded Bumblebee (a riff on Rimsky-Korsakov's 'Flight Of The Bumblebee') is flashy yet excellent. Song For Love is a great feel good ballad.
However, it isn't all good. When I'm President's rock/rap/country hybrid is still horrendous whilst When I First Kissed You, the lounge track on Pornografitti, is flat and lifeless.
Some of the more successful numbers are aided by the interaction with the crowd. More Than Words is sung by the entire crowd and even an old curmudgeon like me can't help but be moved. The band also have great fun with a Cajun flavoured Hole Hearted which the crowd get enthusiastic about .
The encore features some of their other hits. The aggressive riffing of Play With Me is particularly impressive.
I still don't like their studio output but I have to admit that they are a pretty decent live act and I enjoyed this more than I expected.
Some of the more successful numbers are aided by the interaction with the crowd. More Than Words is sung by the entire crowd and even an old curmudgeon like me can't help but be moved. The band also have great fun with a Cajun flavoured Hole Hearted which the crowd get enthusiastic about .
The encore features some of their other hits. The aggressive riffing of Play With Me is particularly impressive.
I still don't like their studio output but I have to admit that they are a pretty decent live act and I enjoyed this more than I expected.
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