Kerrang is Britain’s version of Alternative Press. Strictly speaking, it’s a little different. The bands Kerrang features tend to be a little heavier than in AP; swaying more to the metal side of the scale, but the point remains… when a national, large scale magazine puts on a tour… you need to get out of the way.
2007’s Kerrang Tour spanned the length and breadth of the UK and relative newcomers I Am Ghost from L.A propped up the line up. Plagued by sickness and robbed earlier on in the tour, six tired metallers took to the stage at the unearthly hour of 6.20pm; and within seconds, London new about it.
Diving head first into a nine track assault on an unsuspecting Astoria audience, the band are met with surprising acclaim (surprising as an opening act!) from a young crowd. Our Friend Lazarus opens the set with a mini-mosh pit erupting in the middle of crowd. Killer Likes Candy follows and is welcomed with a cheer from the crowd.
Violinist Kerith grins from ear to ear and vocalist Steve Juliano tears around the stage half possessed, clearly enjoying the fact that despite the venue being only half full at the beginning of the set (due to late door opening) the crowd is not only growing but they are enjoying it too. Other songs in the set include Kiss Me Like You Wanted, We Are Always Searching, Lovers Requiem, Eulogies and Epitaphs, Dark Carnival of the Immaculate, Pretty People Never Lie and Vampires Never Really Die, which as a closing track nearly evokes a reaction as big as Lazarus did at the start of the set.
By the end of the set, the band certainly hadn’t lost any fans. The sound wasn’t great, but the Astoria has a nasty habit of causing that. The few that knew the songs loved the set, and the many that didn’t probably won’t be forgetting I Am Ghost anytime soon… for good, or for bad, for as they say… bad press is still press. Kerrang, for the time being, are loving I Am Ghost; and if you agree with them, the word from the band is let them know so they can get back out on tour in the UK again.
Catch I Am Ghost on tour across the USA on the 2007 Epitaph Tour featuring I Am Ghost, The Matches, Escape The Fate and The Higher.
Video: Catch the video for the bands latest single ‘Our Friend Lazarus’ here (windows media)