Having been in the mosh pit for the last Oxegen gig, I thought I knew what to expect from these aggressive (if ageing) LA rockers.
The night started off well with the usual rapturous welcome that RATM would have been well used to. However from the off, the lead singer - Zac De La Rocha seemed to be half a beat behind the band with th delivery of his lyrics. I just wanted him to get on top of it rather than listening for the chords before singing the song.
The band delivered all the hits, but it pained me to admit that after 15 years or so, the old callsto arms were sounding just a bit worn out. That didn't prevent me from singing all of the lyrics at the top of my voice. The band must be given credit for having not been bettered since their emergence, in the angst rap/rock genre. The underlying funk and rythm that was part of the original appeal of the band is still there, and Tom Morellos abstract guitar skills always set them apart.
To their credit they did leave the crowd wanting more, but overall, why was on show in my eyes was a band that have just cruised past their sell by date, and without a fresh injection of new material, it may be the last time we see them on these shores.
But all in all, a good effort, 6.9/10