M'Lou Elkins
Eagles of Death Metal 24th Anniversary Tour – UK
11/23/21 @ Tramshed in Cardiff, GB
11/26/21 @ O2 Institute in Birmingham, GB
12/3/21 @ Rock City in Nottingham, GB
12/5/21 @ O2 Ritz in Manchester, GB
Crowd Critics Fan Review
by Richard Hands
All Photos © Richard Hands
My wife Nikki and I first saw Eagles of Death metal back in 2015, at the Institute in Birmingham, just before the horrific events at the Bataclan. We’d actually been so impressed seeing them live that we’d considered following them to France, but couldn’t get child care!
Top that with nearly 2 years of fear, uncertainty, and government lockdowns, everyone was an emotional wreck. So when Jesse decided to put together this tour, there was no way in hell we were missing out on an opportunity for some much needed emotional healing, and to join the band on their rollercoaster ride.
We booked 3 dates straight off, Cardiff Tramshed, about 3 hours from home, Birmingham for our home gig, and Nottingham, as it’s also close and we knew rock city would be an amazing venue for them. We decided that for every night, we would be there at least an hour before doors, so we could be on the barriers.
Well, Jesse, Jennie Vee, Josh Jove, and Jorma Vik really blew the doors off, every single night.
From his first bursting onto the stage in Cardiff, we knew we’d made the right decision. It was raw, it was powerful, it was emotional, we laughed, we chanted, Jesse cried, we fucking rock and rolled!
We made new friends standing at the barriers, and found a new band to love as well, as the support act, Bones UK really impressed us.
Next, a few days later, came the Birmingham Institute. This was the place we’d seen them, fallen in love with them, met and talked to Nick, who did their Merch, before he lost his life. There was a lot of healing for us from this venue. Starting with Bones UK, who recognized us from Cardiff (and subsequently said hello to us each night we were there the rest of the tour), rocking the stage. I’ve fallen in love with their cover of “I’m Afraid of Americans” more than the original.
Bouncing onto the stage to the signature opener for this tour “We Are Family,” the crowd roared, the atmosphere was electric. Boots was back in town, and we were there to show him how much we loved him and missed him. Huge, heartfelt applause, massive, raucous chants of ‘Jesse! Jesse!’ had our enigmatic frontman in genuine, heartfelt tears. It was a truly touching moment, as the guy we’ve watched karaoke his way through lockdown, reconnected with his fans on a personal level. Birmingham’s performance, complete with a great Black Sabbath cover, felt truly emotional, truly connected and Jesse was at his most vulnerable, which brings him into his own as his most fun. We left that gig, and decided to book tickets for Manchester as well, because we decided 3 doses of this fun just wasn’t quite enough.
The following Friday brought us to Nottingham Rock City. Again we were there early, saw Josh, Jennie and Jorma walking up the street (noticed by nobody) towards the tour bus, so I took the opportunity to catch them and say hello and thank them.
It turns out Rock City was to be the highlight of the tour for us. By the time Bones UK left the stage, I looked over my shoulder and the venue was full, from front to back, from bar to bar. I knew this was going to rock. The now familiar “We Are Family” started, and the whole crowd just came alive. The energy was dynamic and vibrant, the rock and roll was dripping from the ceiling. The band vibed off it more and more, and the whole crew gave such an amazing performance. From happy birthdays to people in the crowd, to Jesse handing my wife his sweat towel (grim, but also fucking awesome!).
Returning for the encore, in his Evel Knievel jumpsuit, and breaking into his Elvis rendition of “Falling In Love With You” the whole place was hanging on his every word.
Finishing with “Speaking in Tongues,” the crowd exploded, and yet I still didn’t feel crushed on the barriers, there was an energy but a respect amongst the fans for one another, it was like a massive squeezy rock and roll hug that only a crowd of true fans can give.
The highlight of our mini-tour came after Rock City, when we decided to hang around at the back with a couple of other fans. Turns out they were also having a documentary made about the tour and the fans. Ryan and his film crew were really nice, and interviewed all of us who were waiting around. We got to meet Jesse’s friend, who we’d seen so many times in his living room, Jennie Ortega, and I have to say she’s one of the most lovely, friendly and bubbly people we’ve ever met. Eventually Jesse came out after a shower, a relax and a change of clothes, and spent a good twenty minutes or so talking with us, his fans, about all manner of things, including films, early EODM records, everything. He really is as nice in real life as you want him to be, constantly giving genuine hugs, and smiles all round. He even went and got us all merch posters he was selling from the amazing @adrawingbykate and signed them for us. Finally we went home, tired, very cold, and happy. Knowing we’ve still got one more show to go on Sunday.
Finally, rounding up our mini Eagles of Death Metal tour, we drove the 2 hours to Manchester. The O2 Ritz is a cool looking venue, and both the tour van for Bones UK and the tour bus for EODM were parked on the street right out front. As we arrived, we caught all of Bones UK one last time sitting outside the stage doors, to say hi, and I got a proper chance to say, as one drummer to another, thank you to Jorma Vik for killing it on stage. We also had a chat with one of the Eagles’ crew, who is also an extra guitarist for them on some songs, @rexroulette, and he remembered us from Nottingham and Birmingham, so that was amazing.
Bones UK played a slightly shorter set in Manchester, because they’d run over in Nottingham so had obviously been told to be on time, which was a shame as we’d come to enjoy them. But it allowed us more time with Jesse and the band, so we weren’t going to complain.
This night, the whole band and crew were dressed in jumpsuits, emblazoned with “EODM 186%
RNR” on the back and 186% Rock and Roll is certainly what we got. The crowd was a little more subdued than Nottingham and Manchester, but it didn’t make Jesse’s energy any lower, or his emotions less heartfelt. What truly made this final gig for us special was that in the guitar battle at the end, we have Jesse, on the barriers facing the stage, playing off against Josh Jove, but then they brought on the fantastic, amazingly talented Carmen Vandenberg from Bonds UK, to add into the mix. This truly felt like one of those ‘end of the tour’ gigs where they do something special they’ve not done before, which as it was the end of the tour for us, made it doubly special. Carmen shredded an amazing solo against Josh and Jesse, before Jennie Vee and Jorma kicked the crowd back into full gear with “Ace of Spades,” Jennie becoming like Lemmy reincarnate. As the solos finished, and the whole band, plus carmen, went back into the final da na na na na na na runs of “Speaking in Tongues,” Carmen joined in and we got a truly epic send-off for what has to be one of the most fun, energetic, engaging and downright nice rock and roll bands of all time.
To Jesse Hughes, Jennie Vee, Josh Jove, Jorma Vik, Rex Roulette, Ryan P Mcguffy, Jennie Ortega, and everyone else on the crew that we’ve met over the 4 nights we’ve watched you, you’ve all made a lasting impression on us. Thank you from the bottoms of our hearts to the tips of our (very wide) smiles.
We love you All zee time.
Rich and Nikki
CHECK OUT THE FULL PHOTO GALLERIES FROM THE EODM SHOWS HERE!!
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