I have not seen Monster Magnet for several years, I think it was actually at a festival on a sunny afternoon possibly in the UK. However, the dark space rock that they play is more suited to the sweaty confines of a small club. They have survived now for over thirty years despite never achieving commercial success fame and fortune. Personally, I was quite surprised that they were playing in this particular venue, believing that they would have been more ideally suited to playing another venue-ie the Club Academy. A more mature audience was packing the venue even before the support band hit the stage. Unfortunately, due to the delay in getting into the venue, we missed on the support band. Bang on the scheduled slot of 9 pm the heavy groove of music kicked in, individual band members appeared through the smoke before the space lord mutha himself, Dave Wyndorf, came into view.
Blasting straight in with the title track of the Dopes To Infinity album the band immediately start laying an earthy groove they quickly follow-up with several new tracks.Mixing both old classics with newer numbers all tunes are received with an equally positive reception by an enthusiastic and sold-out audience. Preferring to focus on the tunes rather than on stage banter Dave and the band served up their music with a suitably psychedelic backdrop and light show. The set seems to fly and in no time at all the band are off before returning for a three-song encore. It’s not new or original what Monster Magnet serve up but that it still entertains and gets heads banging and delivers entertainment. The band always deliver quality and a good time. They certainly do it on festival stages when I last saw them for example on a sunny afternoon in Milton Keynes. However, it is in a packed out hot small club with sweat quite literally running down the walls where it feels the most satisfying. The band finally exit to with grins as wide as the audience members that have just been watching them. Job done again, Mr. Wyndorf – see you next time around.
