Black Hazzard’s UK 2017 Attendings: Festivals, Bars & a Casino
Metalheads across the metalverse were tiptoeing for months in nerve-wracking and nail-chewing eagerness to see the schedule for Black Hazzard’s autumn European Tour meant to promote their latest album ‘Evil Deeds’. Apocalypse, nihilism and bestiality are recurring themes in Black Hazzard’s lyrical quests and ‘Evil Deeds’ follows closely the tone of last year’s ‘Monsterious’ album. The Tampa-native death metal band famous for its eclectic sound and hardcore mutations sold out most of its gigs in North and South America, and Europe followed in suit. London, as usual, was Black Hazzard’s anchor venue in Europe, followed by performances in Manchester and Bristol, before the group eventually headed to Copenhagen. Some of its most memorable attendings include a meet&greet session in a London bar and a highly anticipated performance staged at an iconic Manchester casino.
Black Hazzard Gig in London
The young American band of five started its British tour with a midnight gig at the Black Heart, London’s quintessential venue for headbangers and riff-loving punters. The gig was part of the three-day festival Heavy dedicated to new and emerging international artists from the underground metal scene. The 150-capacity bar was bursting at the seams, sound systems hammering, walls pounding with sound, Black Heart’s famous brew flowing in all directions. Black Hazzard started with their brand new single ‘Slaves to the Machine’ and mixed fresh new ‘Evil Deed’ songs with covers of iconic death metal groups from the 90s.
Black Hazzard Meet&Greet Session
The band rarely organises meet&greets, but this time was an exception! The exclusive event took place at The Underground Camden bar on the following day after their Heavy gig, with special invitations sent out to 180 avid fans who had pre-ordered the ‘Evil Deeds’ album online. The space was bouncing with ecstatic banter from all mouths and lighting up from the constant stream of camera flashes, as fans were queuing to grab some merch and get their album copies signed by frontman Genesis and his bandmates. The band surprised guests with an exclusive discount for their first live concert DVD, which is expected to be released internationally in March 2018. Genesis tool a number of selfies with the crowd, hundreds of devil horn hands cutting the air.
Black Hazzard Plays for Sterling Stars Casino Anniversary in Manchester
After London, the group, merch, equipment and all, headed up North to Manchester where they had an exclusive one-hour gig at a famed local casino celebrating its 30th anniversary. The night started with Genesis giving a mighty tug down to the casino’s oldest one-armed bandit which has been a part of the casino’s memorabilia for more than a decade. The band was greeted by a cheering crowd and played a selected mix of new and old songs, ending the night with a sobbing rendition of ‘Heavy Heart’. Later that night the band opened the Hammer Hell music fest at The Sphinx rooms downtown, warming up the crowd to MegaCore and Death Lords.
Back Down South to Bristol
After Manchester, the crew headed back down South to Bristol, one of UK’s most welcoming contemporary music stages. They received a warm welcome by the local community and metalheads from all ends of Europe. The gig was at Bristol’s signature venue The Fleece, a former sheep trading market and wool hall with distinctly Victorian feel that is now the city’s most vibrant indie and alternative music station. The long queues in front of The Fleece were a clear indication of the band’s established presence on the British Isles. The band opened with hits like ‘Depleted Sins’ and ‘Sunrise at the Graveyard’, and played their entire new album for the emphatic crowd. The band’s characteristic acid, thick sound pulverised the venue hall, giving the metalhead islanders and mainlanders alike some headbanging beats to remember.
Off to Denmark
Thus finished Black Hazzard’s third UK tour, with bang and beat and screeching, and off they were to another European capital of heavy and death, Copenhagen. ‘Evil Deeds’ is already available to the European crowd, and the highly anticipated DVD with recordings of live performances throughout North America, Europe and South America, will be available from March 2018. Fans will be able to pre-order the DVD before Christmas.
With Black Hazzard trailblazing the alternative death metal underground scene and more emerging names stepping on British soil for the first time this year, the headbangers on the Old Continent can look forward to a dead heavy future of historic festival, events and live performances in the UK and beyond!
