Live Review: Mike Woodstock - Remembering The Life and Metal of Mike Woods
15th February 2020
Review by Ange & Lee Sheperd, photos by Ange Shepherd
Saturday 15th February took us on an early trip into Manchester for a very important sold out gig at the Star & Garter, an all-dayer to celebrate the life of Mike Woods.
We arrived at an already busy pub in time for a pint and a t-shirt purchase and took our place for the first band of the day, Wolfbastard. Twenty minutes of Oldham’s finest crusty black metal to start off proceedings didn’t disappoint, from the sing-along chorus of 'North West Sex Pest' to the old classic 'Sick in the Bath, with 'Buckfast Blasphemy' and 'Show Us Where You Piss From' to round things up. Dez, Si and Dave blasted through the set fuelled by an appreciative crowd.
A speedy changeover later and fresh drink in hand we were back upstairs for Insurgency. Old school thrashers from Lancaster, with new bassist, Phil, joining Andrew and Malek, they were a sheer force of nature on the Garter stage. Insurgency played through their twenty minute set with their usual power, Andrew’s vocals set off by the speed of Malek’s drums and the unrelenting thrashy riffs, they are a band we would advise anyone to watch. Their Sodom cover, 'Agent Orange', being a particularly notable treat.
The next band we caught were Denim & Leather. A feast for the senses their frontman seems to channel a metalhead version of Ian Curtis and his ability to fling himself from the stage and writhe around the floor without missing a note is a special talent indeed.
It all got a bit hazy after this, Newky Brown was consumed and we stood around in the drizzle, chatting and smoking and generally having rowdy fun for the next couple of hours whilst the next four bands took to the stage. I am reliably informed we missed Blind Haze, Pink Cigs, Iron Drugs and Pist, sorry guys!
We did make it in for Aggressive Perfector (like we would have missed our personal favourite thrash band!). Manchester’s very own speed metal demons opened with a track from 'Satan’s Heavy Metal' EP, 'Certain Death' and the pace never let up as they thrashed their way around the stage. The closing number 'Vengeful One' from the new album 'Havok at the Midnight Hour' complete with manic head banging and falsetto scream from Dan left us well and truly spent. They can do no wrong in our eyes.
Rat Cage were next up and although we didn’t make it upstairs they sounded cool from the street where we were once again recovering and limbering up our necks for the much anticipated return of the mighty Exxxekutioner.
Before the set began, Debra, Mike’s mum, made a heartfelt speech with an emotional plea to talk to each other. Mike will truly be missed and the performance by his brothers in Exxx was a beautiful and fitting tribute to him.
The intro was put together by Fergie who took on the difficult job of filling the space on guitar left by Mike, alongside Ryan, Pob and Liam. The crowd went for it full throttle, the mayhem did not let up from start to finish, the atmosphere electric with a wall to wall pit of bodies enjoying every second.
Exxxekutioner played their hearts out in what was their final gig. A farewell to Mike and thank you to his friends and family. They were on form after a long absence from performing. They haven’t played in public since the release of their last album 'Death Sentence' and this was the first opportunity for some of the audience to experience their blistering black thrash attack. The performance was emotional throughout. You could see what it meant to the lads on stage.
'Black Witchery' was a particular standout, apart from it being Shep’s favourite song, Pob’s vocals seemed to have more of an edge of the demonic than in the past, adding to the overall chaos of the track. More madness followed with 'Into the Crypts of Rays' being the next best thing to Celtic Frost performing it in 1985. Motorhead’s 'Iron Fist' was accompanied by a flurry of stage diving and 'Living After Midnight' had the crowd singing along as crowd surfers passed by overhead. You know it’s been a wild night when an AC/DC cover gets an equally insane pit as the thrashy offerings that went before!
All too soon it was over, thank you for the memories Exxx.
We unfortunately missed the final band of the night, Heavy Sentence, as the excesses of the day began to beat our already sore heads into full submission and we left filled with happy memories and a sadness in our hearts.
Michael Woods
1994 - 2019
Forever loved.
Photo credits: Ange Shepherd
