This was a massive gig for me, and for so many other metal fans. SOAD haven’t performed in the UK for a decade, and after reading how much Serj Tankian struggles with touring in his autobiography, Down with the System, I’m not sure they will again.
I had a VIP ticket. That sentence is huge, and it makes me so grateful and proud, knowing how hard I’d worked to be able to afford it. I did end up arriving slightly later than expected, thanks to TFL, but I wasn’t alone and still got in just before general admission.
I really appreciated how the merch was set out within the stadium grounds like a little retail shop. It made the shopping experience easy and controlled. I nabbed a tour tee alongside the bag, patches, pins, and cap that came with my package. also falling victim to paying £20 for two drinks at the bar. MaybeI should’ve risked bringing in a hip flask.
Once I was settled in a prime position a few feet away from the sound desk, Acid Bath took to the stage. Although the crowd was sparse, they put their all into the set. Their sludgy roughness was a great way to warm us up. The graphics on stage were captivating: trippy, colourful images that continued throughout all performances all while mirroring each band’s own aesthetic. Will I listen to Acid Bath in my own time? Probably not. It’s not really my cup of tea, but they did come on to Black Sabbath, so they scored a lot of brownie points from me.
Setlist
- Tranquilized
- Bleed Me an Ocean
- Graveflower
- Paegan Love Song
- The Mortician’s Flame
Queens of the Stone Age were a jaw-dropping support act, being absolute giants in their own right. Someone I work with commented that they’re way bigger than SOAD. It’s not his fault, he doesn’t know any better. The crowd had thickened up and erupted immediately, opening up the first few mosh pits of the night.
The sound reverberated through the floor and travelled throughout my entire body with the kind of electricity that reminds you you’re alive. After playing music for 30 years, they’ve almost become one being on stage, playing through instinct. I’m sure they could play those songs perfectly in their sleep. The sound was slightly muddy, with the instruments getting lost in each other, but it’s to be expected in a large, open area with 50,000 people providing background noise.
I wished it had been darker for their set so the draped lights could be appreciated fully, the swirling colours reminded me of Windows visualisers from the 2000s, which I found oddly comforting.
Setlist
- Regular John
- The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret
- Do It Again
- Sick, Sick, Sick
- The Fun Machine Took a Shit and Died
- Paper Machete
- My God Is the Sun
- Run Pig, Run
- Little Sister
- Go With the Flow
- No One Knows
- A Song for the Dead
We had just 30 minutes between QOTSA and SOAD. I knew I had to act fast to use the loo. Running up the nearest staircase, I was pleasantly surprised by the orderly line that had formed and just how quickly it was moving. Thankfully, my boyfriend, who accompanied me, is tall enough that I could see his hands above the crowd to find my way back. Alas, there was no time to grab another overpriced rum and Coke before System of a Down took the stage.
They wasted absolutely no time, assembling quickly and launching into “Soldier Side – Intro”. It’s been a very long time since I’ve been to a true heavy metal gig, let alone in standing. The instant wave of movement, sound, and excitement washed over me and, to my surprise, my body didn’t skip a beat in joining in. I guess it’s like riding a bike.
The set was 30 songs long and extremely fast-paced. My favourite song, hands down, was “Prison Song”. It shocks me that my lungs didn’t give out from screaming along.
System of a Down have so much character, from Serj doing his best cat impression mid-set to Daron naming the tapeworm in “Needles” “Oasis” and leading us in a chant of “Pull Oasis out of your ass”; a retaliation to Noel Gallagher labelling them “the shittiest band of all time”. To someone who isn’t a fan, it’s impossible to explain but for those of us there, it was like a religious experience.
Serj’s vocal range is forever astonishing, from raspy metal screams to operatic highs. I could feel Shavo’s bass in my chest to the point where it felt like my heartbeat. They really gave us every penny’s worth of music with the number of tracks played.
“Lonely Day” is, without doubt, the most emotional song in their discography. I cried my eyes out to the point that a girl next to me asked if I was okay. This gig has helped redeem the way I feel about music crowds. For those looking in from the outside, metal fans can look aggressive and violent. It’s not until you’re in it that you realise just how safe you are because people are so aware of the possible dangers of mosh pits, pogoing, and headbanging. The result is an environment of care and respect. I can honestly say that I missed it and felt incredibly safe. The feeling of togetherness was palpable.
It’s difficult for me to put into words how incredible this gig was. I got to bask in their goofy, angry, perverted glory, and I fear nothing will come close to topping it. Overall, I feel unbelievably privileged to have witnessed history with a band who call for change in the face of a world run by greedy leaders and a broken music industry.
Setlist
- Soldier Side – Intro
- B.Y.O.B.
- Suite-Pee
- Chic ‘N’ Stu
- Prison Song
- Aerials
- I-E-A-I-A-I-O
- Innervision
- Darts
- Genocidal Humanoidz
- Needles
- Deer Dance
- Radio/Video
- Dreaming
- Hypnotize
- ATWA
- Bounce
- Suggestions
- Psycho
- Chop Suey!
- Lonely Day
- Lost in Hollywood
- Streamline
- Spiders
- Forest
- DAM
- War?
- Roulette
- Toxicity
- Sugar