14th October 1996 was an historic day in the metal community in Cardiff. It was the last time that a certain Metallica played in Wales, and it was the first time that Corrosion of Conformity played the Welsh capital. Not quite their first Welsh appearance, that was the previous year supporting Megadeth in Newport. Since then, the CoC boys have been back here a handful of times, most recently in 2018 when they played with Orange Goblin, Fireball Ministry and Black Moth at the Great Hall. They’ve played The Globe before, in 2014, and if my memory serves, it was as hot and sweaty then as it was tonight.
Before the return of the US legends, we are treated to Cologne’s Plainride, a trio who’ve been together for a decade and who have been described as the German equivalent of Clutch. They’ve got three albums to confirm this, although my view is that also draw deeply on the likes of Fu Manchu and Lionize. They start with the confidence of a band with a pedigree. There’s little room on the stage at The Globe at the best of times, and guitarist Bob Vogstou has just enough room to cut the occasional shape.
Plainride had released their self-titled record mere days before, and clearly and rightly took the decision that most of the audience would be unfamiliar with their songs, so why not play music from Plainride? They do that in spades, opening with “S.O.T.U” and “Fire in the Sky”, both tracks on the new album. They have a depreciating sense of humour, dealing with heckles about the absence of bass on stage (“this isn’t And Justice for All” one wag shouts).
The trio are well rehearsed, intertwined, and interesting. There may not be much movement on stage, but the riffs are flowing. They dip into their other albums, with the power of “Beer Machine” getting heads nodding. It’s energetic and compelling stuff. By the time that Vogstu, drummer Florian ‘FJ’ Schlenker and vocalist Max Rebel hit the final song, “Anaximander (And the Riddles of Origin)”, the crowd are already moving towards the band’s merch table. Having listened to them before and after the show, this is band who I’ll be tuning into on a much regular basis.
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It’s to their credit that Corrosion of Conformity are still committed to playing such venues across the UK. It’s heaving on the floor, nose to nipple one might say, with the show having sold out weeks ago. The crowd is straining to get involved and do so as the 80 minute-set unfolds. Bassist Mike Dean and touring drummer James Patterson take their places and kick off an elongated intro that leads into “Bottom Feeder”. On stroll Pepper Keenan and Woody Weatherman, and the band are quickly into “Paranoid Opioid”. The riff is simply delicious, and the foundations of this old venue are wobbling once again. They’ve had a real beating recently, with Weedeater having visited three days before, and Crowbar having brought their heaviness a couple of months previously. Something Keenan touches on later (that would be a tour worth seeing).
Pepper does most of the talking. “It’s going to be a warm one” he smiles and proceeds to carve out the riff to “Shake Like You”, the first of several from Deliverance. It’s a punishing beast, inviting those in the crowd to shake the dandruff and test the neck muscles. A generous fan hands Keenan a four-pack of San Miguel. He’s genuinely touched and toasts he fan when he cracks one open a little later.
The set is crammed full of classics, drawn from Wiseblood, In the Arms of God, America’s Volume Dealer and “Vote with a Bullet” from 1991’s Blind. The crowd are happy, singing along to the likes of “Seven Days”, a raucous “Who’s Got the Fire” and by the time we reach “Stonebreaker” and about 100 degrees, the pit is starting to open.
The band appear to be having a great time on stage too, with smiles all round. Keenan’s between song chat is heartfelt. “it’s a school night here” he says, “but you lot don’t appear to give a fuck about that” he laughs. Indeed, we don’t. This is a band who don’t let you down and the cascade of riffs is relentless. A quick break for the ‘encore’ sees the band exist the building before huddling behind the speaker stack. They return to a hero’s welcome, tear the place up to “Born Again for the Last Time” (“a deeper cut” Pepper explains). It’s a classic Deliverance double to finish. “Albatross” takes the roof off, before the band expand “Clean My Words” into double its usual length in a grand finale. The temperature is almost unbearable but shows like this remind you why club gigs are so essential. In the same week that the band they supported here in 1996 performed to 60,000 fans in a cavernous stadium, the joy of seeing the classic Corrosion of Conformity up close and personal reminded you that it’s at grass roots where the music scene is at its most vibrant, and vital.
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Photos by Paul Hutchings
Corrosion of Conformity: official | facebook | twitter | instagram | spotify | youtube
Plainride: official | facebook | twitter | instagram | bandcamp | spotify
