The Canadian all-girl band Kittie kicked off their European tour in Wetzlar on January 2nd, guess that makes them the first band hitting the road in 2010... Anyway, on January 7th Kittie and their pals from It Dies Today and Malefice stopped in Cologne to play at the Underground. A local support was added, but I missed Even If I Fall due to their short stage time and the short follow-up interview with Kittie. The local opener had to go on stage early, but some of their friends were there to support them.
When the British Malefice entered the stage some more people gathered and more should arrive while they played. The quintet wanted to promote their latest album Dawn Of Reprisal live, they also played something off their debut Entities. The British presented a mix of thrash and death metal with a heavy groove. Songs like As I Bleed, Abandon Hope and The Midas Effect left a positive impression, even if they couldn't move the people, they did a good job to warm up the audience. And during their last song the bassist walked through the audience and to check, if everything is fine at the merchandise booth. And during the change over a few come to purchase their CDs - looks like they made some new friends tonight...
Next in line the Buffalo metalcore outfit It Dies Today who's motto is: Bills, beers & broads! Well, it seems today it was mainly the second... I'm not familiar with IDT, but due to the bad sound it wasn't a pleasure. The vocals of Jason Wood were almost drowning and the overall muddy sound made it almost impossible to identify the songs... The only one I could identify was Miss October of their latest release Lividity. Some guys in the crowd started bouncing when IDT played their last song, so at least some enjoyed the show of the Buffalo outfit.
Just when It Dies Today left the stage Kittie's Morgan Lander was walking through the audience - unrecognized. A little later the whole band started to set up their equipment with a little help of their tour manager. Finally they were ready to rock! The Canadian gals kicked off with My Plague! Right from the start the audience was in action, a little later Morgan Lander asked the audience "How are you? Are you ready to rock?" The foursome presented a kind of best-of set, but focussed on their latest output In The Black. While the blonde singer and guitarist didn't have much chance to move, guitarist Tara McLeod and bassist Ivy Vujic used the little space on stage for posing. A lot of headbanging included! Between the songs Morgan talked with the audience, so she shouted "Com' on, can't fucking hear you! How many of you boys & girls have seen us before?" The response seemed to satisfy her and she asked for some crowd participation... "I wanna see you jump on my command!" And the Kittie fans followed her command! Songs like Never Again, Breathe or Die My Darling were the highlights of the show, but actually the power of the girls was infecting everybody! The dynamic show of the four ladies lasted about 70 minutes and even if some hoped for more, most were exhausted, but happy. And I think that everybody who saw the Canadians on this tour will come to see them whenever they come back to Europe!