Coal Chamber @ Waterfront, Norwich

What do you get if you go to a gig that has four bands; three of whom were big in the late 1990s, two of whom haven’t had an album out in over 4 years and a headline band who haven’t released any new material in 13 years? The answer is nostalgic, my friends, nostalgic.

Which is exactly how I felt when I turned up to Norwich Waterfront to see the quad-metal lineup that was Dope, The Defiled, Soil and Coal Chamber. And I wasn’t alone. It seems nostalgia tours are popular these days, especially when you form a four-pronged, heavy metal attack formation as they have done this evening, and the main room was busy. Especially considering the somewhat early starting time of 7pm on the dot for tonight’s opening act – Dope.

Dope started enthusiastically, and their brand of hard-rock-meets-industrial-metal is well received by the crowd. Front man Edsel Dope is clearly not precious about playing the opening slot, and with true charm continually thanks the equally enthusiastic crowd for turning out early to see them. They use the half hour well, straying all over their five album back catalogue and pulling out crowd pleasing sing-along choruses, but the highlight of the set for everyone young and old was their cover of Rebel Yell, which they deliver with aplomb before thanking the audience again and leaving the stage. I liked the cut of their jib, and found myself getting onboard more than I expected.

Next up was the Defiled, who are on the tour filling an American Head Charge shaped hole. The word on the street is that AHC pulling out has not gone down well, and whilst it seems extremely unfair to blame this on the Defiled (I have it on good authority that they were not responsible), they are the youngest band on the bill and it shows. With a back catalogue that was unfamiliar to at least half the crowd, they tried their best, but ultimately it did not feel like they owned it. Even with the keyboardist playing the ivories upside down as they swung from the lighting rig. Nice try guys, but no cigar.

Soil was the penultimate band of the evening, and predictably fare better amongst a “mature crowd” more familiar with their work. As they take to the stage, it’s easy to tell that they’ve been here before. Not just figuratively, but literally as front man Ryan McCoomb enjoys what is best described as a hero’s welcome. Knowing exactly what people want, they launch straight into Breaking Me Down, the opening track from 2001’s Scars, and that is mostly where they stay. The vocals are gravelly, the guitars crunchy, and the audience happy. They break into their biggest hit, Halo, just before seeing Dope’s Rebel Yell, and raising it, with a down and dirty version of Black Betty that has every head on the floor banging. The crowd loved it, as did I and for me, they were the band of the night.

Finally it was time for Coal Chamber who were clearly the high point of the evening for the majority of the crowd. Even though they have been on hiatus for the best part of fifteen years, lead singer Dez Fafara has been doing the Devil Driver thing, and as such, this feels less like seeing a friend for the first time in years, and more like seeing a friend in a suit that they haven’t worn in a while. The thing that Coal Chamber can never be accused of is fucking about, and true to form they launch straight into hits Loco and Big Truck back to back, which causes the crowd to go ballistic. It’s not complex, but it is effective, and they sound good live. Very good. The songs from the new album Rivals nestle in very nicely with the old favourites and Farara works the crowd like he knows he can get them to do anything he says, which they do.

To sum up, it was a great night with a lot of feeling; feeling old, feeling young again, feeling like I’m too out of shape to be at the front, but mainly feeling glad that I came along to see it happen. If anyone asks, I’ve still got it – it never left me.