Once upon a time Voivod was the band I had waited the longest to see... but since then we've seen them a further six times (1993, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2018, 2023 and now 2026). The 2018 gig in Cardiff was one of the best gigs of all time, which unfortunately means every other Voivod gig falls a little short, but that doesn't mean they aren't still good.
This gig was billed as a co-headliner, and for once that actually meant Voivod and Midnight alternated closing the show. I found this rather bemusing as I would have thought Voivod were bigger than Midnight and I wonder if when Midnight headline the crowd thins a little after Voivod play?
We finally found out the Voivod would be closing the show in Nottingham and decided to get there good and early to make sure we secured a good spot on the balcony (after the bloody debacle that was trying to see Paradise Lost last year!). So we got in just after seven to find openers 'Cryptosis' already on stage.
I'm pretty sure I had one of their albums but I'm not sure I actually ever listened to it. The logo certainly looks familiar. They play a kind of progressive Thrash/Death with definite hints of Voivod and prog Black Metal too (the open, ringing chords bring to mind bands like Enslaved and Ved Buens Ende) here and there, maybe I will check them out again,
I have listened to Midnight over the years, but never really got into them. But knowing that we were going to see them we decided to watch a show on YouTube and it was pretty enjoyable. Live Midnight were much the same, a mixture of Venom, Motorhead with a simple catchy 'Punk' undertone.
Midnight - F.O.A.L.
Tonight they were playing the 'Satanic Royalty' album in full (plus extras) the title track of which is for sure my favourite Midnight song. I prefer them when they are doing that 'classic Metal' thing with less of the Punk to be honest (more like how Betwitched were back in 1996/1997). It was enjoyable if a little samey by the end, and they certainly were entertaining.
But really we were here to see Voivod, and they didn't disappoint. The set was only 10 songs long, which was a shame, but I guess if you co-headline and start late then that's what's gonna happen. The setlist was definitely an interesting one, I'm not sure I've ever heard Korgull the Exterminator live before, so that was something noteworthy.
Away, Rocky and Chewy are very capable and lively on stage but really Snake is the star of the show, he's just so damned weird! It's hard to believe there ever was a Voivod without him, but tonight Voivod actually played 'Nanoman' from the Eric Forest fronted era, which we probably haven't heard live since 1997.
VOIVOD - Voivod
In between the two bands the DJ played some corking tunes, including Razor, Watchtower and Omen's 'Death Rider'. I couldn't believe it when about five people below us in the crowd started singing along with this mid 80s power metal classic, I thought I was probably the only person in the place who knew what it was!
Well maybe not, because there was a dude there with a Nasty Savage back-patch and Hallow's Eve embroidered on the top of his jacket. I almost wanted to go down and shake his hand for being the coolest guy in the place, but I didn't.
From our spot on the balcony we spied someone in the crowd wearing a shirt with Voivod and Midnight logos on the back. A joint tour shirt, how cool is that? Even better the front was a mash-up of Midnight's logo with a Voivod face, which looked great. So Rose bought me one and I'll be getting that for my birthday. :)
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