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It would be an understatement to say that, when it was announced earlier this year that Children of Bodom
would be touring merely as support band for Machine Head and Slipknot, their legions of loyal European fans,
who were expecting a headlining tour in support of the new album, Blooddrunk, were NOT amused. All hope,
however, was not gone (at least for the Bodom fans) when two COB headlining off-dates were subsequently added
to the tour, in Saarbrucken, and tonight's sold-out show, at the Markthalle in Hamburg. The fortunate Hamburgers in attendance at the packed Markthalle were to witness 90 minutes of Bodom at their mighty finest. COB were fired up and clearly relishing the chance to show what they could do with a full-length set, rather than the measely 30 minutes or so they have been allowed on the regular tour dates.
They hit the stage amidst a swirling wraith of dry ice, with a wrathful rendition of Follow the Reaper, and from then on the pace never let up, as they ripped through classics such as Silent Night, Bodom Night, Children of Decadence, Bed of Razors, Hate Me and In Your Face from their back catalogue as well as the newest crowd pleasers from their recently released album, including Hellhounds On My Trail, upcoming release Smile Pretty for the Devil, and the title track, Blooddrunk.
Diminutive, constantly moving frontman Alexi Laiho threw every shape in the book as he peeled off virtuoso, face-melting guitar solos and traded licks with Roope Latvala and, at one point, as Laiho whipped his guitar around, clashing headstocks! The hot and heaving mass of the Hamburg Hate Crew lapped it up, crowdsurfing, shouting the sing-along chorus in Hatecrew Deathroll and raising "those fucking metal fingers in the air" at the behest of Laiho, who seemed to be enjoying the atmosphere as much as the audience. Just before Janne Warman began the familiar intro to the longstanding closer, Downfall, Laiho told the crowd that 10 years ago, the band's first gig outside of Finland had been here at the Markthalle, and their blistering performance tonight was a ball-busting celebration of the anniversary.
And if you couldn't make it to the Markthalle show, be sure to catch Children of Bodom after Christmas, when they start their newly announced European headlining tour at the beginning of 2009.
The full setlist:
Follow the Reaper
Smile Pretty for the Devil
Silent Night, Bodom Night
Living Dead Beat
In Your Face
Hellhounds on My Trail
Blooddrunk
Sixpounder
Angels Don't Kill
Children of Decadence/Bodom Beach Terror
Hate Me!
Bed of Razors
Hate Crew Deathroll
Every Time I Die
Downfall
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