Live: W.A.S.P w/The Treatment @ The Academy, Dublin (16/09/2015)… Posted: 25/09/2015 by John O'Brien
The last time THE TREATMENT played here was with SLASH. I missed them that night and after tonight’s performance I’m raging I did. Hailing from Cambridge, England this five piece are an amazing live band to watch. Possessing a RAMONES-esque image of black leather jackets and jeans. These boys play honest rock’n’roll and they play it well. With songs like ‘The Doctor’, ‘I love Rock’N’Roll’, and ‘I bleed Rock’N’Roll’– a new favourite of mine, this tour for them will surely help break them into the mainstream. The two new members in the fold, Tao and Mitch, are a perfect match for these guys. Their energy across a small stage is unbelievable to watch. As stated earlier, if I saw these guys before when I had a chance I would’ve been a fan. But I suppose good things come to those who wait.
Be it 1986, 1999, 2009 or 2012… W.A.S.P. never fail to disappoint. With the stage in darkness as a melody of their songs plays as an intro, Blackie bursts onto the stage and straight into ‘On Your Knees’. Still a great way to open a set after all these years. With a new album in “Golgotha” to promote the bands current line up is probably their best yet. Granted there was only one Chris Holmes, but current guitarist Doug Blair is a hell of a lot better these days, and since he joined in 2006 his playing has improved vastly. Blackie informs us that they will play three new songs with the title track being first up and it’s a bloody belter, classic W.A.S.P. at its best. This isn’t just a nostalgic tour for Blackie, this is a tour to show everyone that after 33 years of performing he’s STILL kicking ass… even in those white boots.
Full photo gallery here… W.A.S.P. – Live @ The Academy, Dublin (16/09/2015)
‘Love Machine’ gets the crowd eating out of his hand and baying for more. ‘Arena Of Pleasure’ is always great to hear live as well as ‘I Dn’t Need No Doctor’. However the only negative point(s) is that during ‘Charlie…’, Blackie skips the talking part leaving it to the crowd to do it. And still no ‘Animal…’ , which is such a shame. Teasing us with the first of two encores tonight. Blackie plays the first bar of ‘Wild child’ four times leaving the crowd in a frenzy between each pause. You could see that smile on his face knowing that this is why he loves us. Once it starts though the crowd go ballistic, singing every word at full volume.
Then it’s unleashed upon a frenzied blood thirsty crowd… ‘I Wanna Be Somebody’. I don’t think there was a single person in attendance not giving it loads during this. This song for me sums up those days spent in a bedroom singing along full belt while declaring that you ARE gonna be somebody. And we did tonight! We became Blackie’s desciples! Worshiping at W.A.S.P.‘s altar.
