Avenged Sevenfold, with special guests In Flames and Disturbed performing at The Motorpoint Arena Nottingham on Wednesday 18th January 2017


Images and Review by Kevin Cooper

Heavy metal fans were treated to a feast of music last night as In Flames, Disturbed and headliners Avenged Sevenfold came to the Motorpoint Arena.

Up first were Swedish heavy metal band In Flames who pumped up the crowd with their short set which included energetic opener Bullet Ride. Other songs such as Cloud Connected and Paralyzed blasted past before closer Take This Life showed what front man Anders Fredin is capable of, despite the poor sound quality.

When it was Chicago band Disturbed’s turn, they brought with them a superb display of pyrotechnics. Entering the stage surrounded by smoke and flames, the tremendously talented David Draiman kicked off with The Eye Of The Storm. With a fifteen song set list there was plenty for the fans to enjoy but it was Draiman’s spine tingling rendition of Simon & Garfunkel’s The Sound Of Silence which had everyone on their feet, holding their mobile phones up high as his strong gorgeous vocals carried across the Arena.

To a backing tape of the late David Bowie’s Space Oddity, Avenged Sevenfold took to the stage and launched into the title track of their new album, The Stage. With impressive effects transporting fans into space, nine video screens stretched across the rear of the stage and a runway through the crowd so that they could get up close and personal, their fans were able to rock out to songs such as Buried Alive and God Damn.

Whilst the instrumental Warmness Of Soul showcased Gates and Vengeance’s fret board talents and newbie Wackerman’s excellent skills on the drums, it was fans favourites such as Bat Country and Hail To The King which had them jumping around and singing along.

M Shadows stunning vocals on Nightmare and encore song, Little Piece Of Heaven were not to be missed and whether you think Avenged Sevenfold should be up there with the great heavy metal rockers or not, last night what they delivered was absolute pure entertainment and you can’t ask for much more than that.