Diamond Head
BB Kings
New York City, New York
September 1, 2011
Tony Pijar
`Remember when Diamond Head was touted as being the successors to Led Zeppelin? And it’s no secret that the band heavily influenced the likes of Metallica and Megadeth. And remember when…well, I could go on forever about how Diamond Head were such a special band, but I digress. Let’s talk about the present. Simply put, Diamond Head is still a special band who delivered in aces and remains frighteningly powerful.
Legend Brian Tatler (let’s face it only Tony Iommi has created a more bludgeoning riff) had the band in top form. From the opening aggressive push of “Play it Loud”, it is clear that Diamond Head is more than just a metal legacy; they are very relevant. “Give it to me”, from “All will be Revealed”, is a band redefining it’s sound, while “The Prince” was staggeringly potent. I never thought I’d hear anything live from the criminally underrated “Canterbury”, but we got the emotive “To the Devil his Due.” Vocalist Nick Tart nailed all of the vocal parts with a cool ease and was adept at leading the band through all of our favorites; those being “In the Heat of the Night”, “Heaven and Hell”, and “It’s Electric”. We watched, eyes and mouths open wide, as Tatler ripped out one classic riff after another. “Pray for me and “Mine all Mine” are two newish songs that fit like a glove next to, say, “Sucking my Love”. Man, that riff still sends shivers down my spine. And as drummer Karl Wilcox hammered out the opening to “Helpless” to the ecstatic delight of the audience, the heat and flurry from the stage pinned the crowd. And, of course, no longer are adjectives needed to describe the seminal “Am I Evil”.
Finally, after so many years have peeled away, countless Americans got to see the band that was the absolute pinnacle of the NWOBHM movement – yes, over the likes of Maiden, Leppard, Saxon and all the rest. Goddamn it! Even after 30-plus years, this band still deserves to be huge!