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IN FLAMES, Sepultura
Barrowlands, Glasgow 24 March 2006

A Friday night at the Glasgow Barrowlands - body armour - check, razor - check, getaway car - check. Right, all seems to be in order, so off I go.

In Flames had done well when supporting the usually hostile Motorhead crowd a few months back, so I was keen to see them in headline action.

The Barrowlands is maybe 2/3 full when In Flames take to the stage, with every light bulb known to Ikea blinking away merrily. I thought the lengthy intro ("Your Bedtime Story") worked well in whipping up the crowd and then they blasted straight into "Pinball Map".

Photo, © Dave King

However, in tribute to the light show, the songs will be forever known as the blue song, the green song, the red song and the yellow song. Naturally, being the headliners, the sound had mysteriously improved, and In Flames were in metal mood.

The crowd lapped it up with the usual array of shirtless 14 year boys getting all sweaty and rubbing against each other (see my previous post on homo-eroticism in metal), something which became entertaining when the 40 year old contingent from Gothenburg (oh yes) decided to slam dance like it was 1988 all over them. Funny, most definitely.

Technically, In Flames were pretty damn flawless but there was a clinical edge to their performance which left them slightly aloof from the crowd. Props to them for taking a big, big chance by headlining a tour. Some of the songs were brutally awesome, and they seemed happy to dip back into their back catalogue - the good stuff as fans would have it! Although they didn't let the backlash over "Reroute To Remain" affect them as a few songs from that album took their place alongside the fan favourites.

Before In Flames we were treated to Sepultura. Obviously brought along to add a few hundred to the bill, it shows how far their profile has slipped, as the last time I saw them at the Barrowlands (1995?) they headlined a sold out show.

Like In Flames they weren't scared of their back catalogue heading as far back as "Troops Of Doom"!

They played most of ths songs people wanted to hear - "Refuse/Resist", "Choke", "Beneath The Remains", "Arise" before finishing, naturally, with "Roots Bloody Roots".

Star of the night was Roy Mayorga who put in an absolutely incredible shift that I was in perfect position to view. Absolutely awesome! Just a shame he had to show us what a Scotsman wears under his kilt.

Review by Stuart A Hamilton