Helmet - Storm the Academy!!!

Helmet **** If you've ever come across my music photography before you'll already know this, but as it's my first review for Music Trespass I should probably explain. A quick scroll through my photos would tell you I'm usually found in the corner of a Folk club, or covering the occasional indie band night. So you'd be forgiven if you thought a Helmet gig would be the last thing I'd enjoy but it was fantastic. 

In a packed out London, o2 Academy in Islington we were treated to an early teaser of what was to come as Dan Beeman and Dave Case came on stage to accompany the superb support act Local H for a song. They were joined by drummer Kyle Stevenson, dressed in nothing but underpants and a chicken head. Imagine the disappointed in the photo pit when we couldn't get a shot of this as we'd gone past our three song shooting limit.

The crowd was packed out with young and old, with anyone that was looking to chat telling you of Helmet's legendary status in the industry and how many other acts have taken inspiration from their music. I sneaked a peak at the set list, but it wasn't very helpful as they didn't follow it at all. As part of their 'Dead to the World' tour, the audience were treated to a mixture of songs from the album, and plenty from their large back catalogue.

The pick of the set for me was as they took a slight break from their usual Alternative Metal to play catchy blues style Sam Hell. Continuing the current theme within the music industry, whether it's in lyrics or in statements, Page Hamilton jested with the crowd that "Now we've both got arseholes for leaders, we can commiserate." And that “our ars***le is a bigger ar***le than yours.”  A cardboard cut-out appeared on stage when I went to the bar for a beer. I'm not sure who it was of, as there was no chance of me fighting my way back to the front through the crowd, but it soon ended up crowd surfing around.

Page took the opportunity just before the end of their long encore packed with the crowd's favourites such as 'Unsung' and 'Milquetoast' to take a poke at the venue's early 10pm curfew and the disco dancing that follows.Following a trip to Glasgow, Helmet have a short break before continuing their tour on the other side of the World in New Zealand. If you ever get the chance to see Helmet I strongly recommend it, even if like me you hadn't heard of them before. 

Review and Photo's by Paul Lyme

Check Out! the Video for 'Milquetoast' Below...