The Sigil of Slateman: Concerts: 1996

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Godflesh / VOD:
14th December, 1996 - Saratoga Winners - Songs of Love and Hate tour

This shouldn't need much explanation, being that Slateman is a GF song and they're the reason this page you're reading exists.

In any event, a brief history = Got into the band in '91, started running these pages in '95 and met the band in '96. I was so psyched to meet this band and the evening is one I'll never forget.

Stacy and I arrived early with a bag full of rare goodies to get signed. We headed backstage and after waiting for a few minutes, Justin appeared with Ben. He knew of me from the net and that was a very humbling moment. Seeing that someone recognizes you for what you've done. We introduced ourselves and Ted Parsons walked in shortly after to greet us as well. Ben was rather quiet as I expected, but was very nice to us and signed everything that we asked him to.

I had a list of questions and had bought a tape recorder earlier in the day to record the interview. Justin hung out with us for a good hour, answering everything I tossed his way. In fact, most of the information that would become the Godflesh FAQ was gathered that night.

He left for a short while as V.O.D. played and Stacy and I just hung out backstage, freaking out over what had just happened. Soon he returned and told us that he needed to get ready so we headed out to the floor after the opening band finished up. There we met Jeremy (Jabberwoky) from WCDB and his girlfriend and we hung out for the entire show. Of course I know this setlist:

Wake
Sterile Prophet
Circle of Shit
Spite
Mothra
Crush My Soul
Time, Death and Wastefulness
Hunter
Anything is Mine
Christbait Rising

Justin actually forgot to start singing the lyrics to Anything is Mine and therefore the band had to restart the song. It was quite funny. The setlist wasn't the best, choosing my 2 least favorites from Selfless and I was never too big on SoLaH, but I was so excited to be there, I didn't care.

As we left, I grabbed the HUGE Selfless posted that was hanging up. It was an awesome night and I was never to see the band again.

Fear Factory / Electric Hellfire Club:
22nd November, 1996 - Saratoga Winners - Demanufacture tour

I saw the band a year prior on the same tour and they were positively incredible. The pit was one of the most intense pits I can remember that night and this time I headed to Winners with Stacy.

She had become a huge fan of Demanufacture and all I had was great things to say about the band live. Unfortunately the show wasn't nearly as good as the prior year IMO, but Stacy was thrilled and loved it all. We stood to the left of the pit for part of the show, but I had to go in for Self Bias Resistor, definitely my favorite of the album. Everything at this point was good stuff, as I was a big fan of their first record and slowly got into the second. The usual tracks from the first were played as well as most of Demanufacture.

Afterwards we got backstage and got to meet Dino briefly, Raymond and Burton. It was cool b/c Burton commented on my Godflesh shirt and Stacy's Type O-Negative shirt, saying that he liked both bands. He talked to me about Head of David and how much he always liked Justin Broadrick. He was a very cool guy overall. Unfortunately the guys from Electric Hellfire Club came back afterwards and the singer was so drunk he crashed our little party and sent most people away. Very cool evening!

Type O Negative:
8th & 9th November, 1996 - Saratoga Winners - October Rust tour

Stacy and I had been together less than 2 months at this time. Both shows were at Saratoga Winners and we got into both for free. These were very loud shows, and both nights were identical, even to what Peter Steele said. It was a boring pair of nights in the end, though he did toss out a pumpkin at the end of the 2nd show. The shows were very loud, and one night we forgot earplugs....that night did permanent damage.

Mercyful Fate:
26th October, 1996 - Saratoga Winners - Into the Unknown tour

One of the most memorable elements of this night is that the New York Yankees won their first world series in my memory. Being a fan since a child, I never witnessed a WS victory, being too young to remember. All those horrible years I endured as a lifelong fan culminated in a World Series which I didn't witness live.

I had just started dating Stacy when this show happened and she positively despises King Diamond's vocals. However, she came along anyways and probably lists it as one of the worst nights of her life.

In any event, it was only the 2nd time I saw the band live and they were incredible. I can't remember many specifics about the show, but the encore was Nuns Have No Fun, probably my favorite MF song. As the drums began, I ran from the pit to the left of the stage where Mat was and we just flipped out.

An awesome show, just wish I could remember more!

We drove home that night and slept at Stacy's. The next morning we headed back to campus and tried to avoid seeing anything that would've given away the fact that the Yankees won. Sitting on the suite floor, we witnessed the world series victory and celebrated, 12 hours after the fact.

I found the following setlist online from another show on the same tour. It seems accurate enough for me. King asked what the crowd wanted to hear and when he mentioned Satan's Fall he commented, "That song is 13 fucking minutes long!" They played it to the crowd's excitement. Here's the full set.

Lucifer
Evil
Doomed By The Living Dead
The Bell Witch
The Uninvited Guests
Desecration Of Souls
Legend Of The Headless Rider
A Dangerous Meeting
Caravan Of Souls / Fifteen Men And A Bottle Of Rum
Into The Unknown
Angel Of Light
Satan's Fall
Come To The Sabbath
Nuns Have No Fun

Overkill:
7th September, 1996 - Saratoga Winners - The Killing Kind tour

Having seen this band so many times, it's a bit of a blur which was which. I remember that Stacy came with me to this show and that I left truly satisfied, sweaty and happy. Stacy stayed off to the side for the show but I was right up front, slapping Blitz's hand and there to catch him when he dove off the stage at the end of the set.

One moment I remember vividly is that they played Feel the Fire. I recall standing in the middle of the pit as he sang, "There's nothing I despise more...Than a Bitch!"

Walking away, Stacy commented that it was awesome which surprised me. We weren't dating yet, but 2 weeks later we were.

Slayer:
7th August, 1996 - Irving Plaza - Undisputed Attitude tour

Slayer were the kings of speed metal. No matter what you think of the Undisputed Attitude record, it's a blindingly fast precursor to the Slayer I grew up listening to. At 20 years old, I still had the energy to keep up with the rest of the pit and this tour was about as good/bad as it gets.

Went in with Rich and Mat, my first time at this venue. The screens were cool, showing video footage between sets. Quite nice.

In retrospect, the show was a blur, I just know that there was virtually nowhere to hide. The pit was everywhere, the songs were insane and I loved every minute of it. I recall some bouncer pulling me down off the top of the crowd, almost on my head, during Gemini, only for me to jump right back into the pit. The floor was alive and pits appeared everywhere.

While specifics are beyond me, as a whole it left a lasting impression, moreso than the prior 2 times seeing the band, in my first 2 concerts ever. Metal changed a lot in the mid '90s, and while this isn't a typical Slayer record or tour, it was definitely pure Slayer. I do recall them playing Necrophiliac, a pleasant shocker. And At Dawn They Sleep was excellent too. Who would have thought they'd whip out 3 from Hell Awaits? I think it was 3, opening w/ the title track and not Raining Blood. The select cuts from Undisputed Attitude were incredible and Paul Bostaph blew me away as this was the first time I'd seen him with the band.

The setlist I can't fully recall...but I found a review online which has what is likely an accurate listing. I tweaked it with what I remember and rearranged it slightly to accurately represent the beginning and the end of the show. The rest is a jumble.

Hell Awaits
The Antichrist
War Ensemble
Gemini
Mandatory Suicide
South of Heaven
Abolish Government
I Hate You
Filler/I Don't Want to Hear It
Mr. Freeze
Richard Hung Himself
Raining Blood
Killing Fields
Divine Intervention
Dittohead
Seasons in the Abyss
At Dawn They Sleep
Necrophiliac
Dead Skin Mask
Captor of Sin
Angel of Death
Chemical Warfare

We missed the LIRR on the way home and were forced to sit around until about 3-4am to catch the next one...sweaty, sticky and smelly. And beaten up.

This was easily one of the best shows I've ever seen. Even as I write this many years later, it remains as an incredibly memorable evening.

Deicide:
19th April, 1996 - Saratoga Winners - Northeastern US tour

I was big into the first Deicide album. It was so extreme at the time, and so evil, that I just loved it. Looking back it's a natural progression and set the standards for the bridge between speed, thrash and death metal. Their 2nd album was very good as well, but by their 3rd I lost a lot of interest. However, I would never turn down a chance to see them live. This was a quick northeastern US tour, maybe 7 dates total, and not in support of anything.

Got to meet Glen Benton and Eric Hoffman, though I didn't say much. I pressed to the barrier for the beginning of the set, wearing my classic self titled LP shirt which didn't survive the night w/out tearing.

The crowd was brutal and I got a couple bruises on my cheek and ribs from that night. The setlist though was great, with almost every song from the first 2 albums. While the 3rd record had been out, only a few tracks were covered, so this was a perfect time to see the band. Things would never be the same and while I can't recall the setlist exactly, it was an excellent night, if not a bit crazy.

Iron Maiden:
16th February, 1996 - The Academy, NY, NY - X-Factour

Jeff and I drove from Albany in a blizzard. After at least one near-death, out of control car incident, we took it slow. The entire thruway was filled with cars either taking a break from the snow or just lying in a ditch on the side of the road. In fact, we saw one 18-wheeler upside down on the side.

It didn't help things that this was the first time I had made the Albany-Long Island trip driving without help. I had only gotten my car 4 months earlier. Part of the trip was just figuring out how to get there. Jeff had fallen asleep and I was winging the directions by memory. I'm not good with directions, by the way.

So, we arrived on the island and then had to race back into the city and run across Manhattan in the snow. (too young and nervous to drive straight into the city, I guess) We arrived during the 4th song, Lord of the Flies. I was so pissed!!! I really wanted to see Heaven Can Wait, which was played 3rd.

It was my first time seeing the band and their popularity was not nearly what it was in the Bruce years. The venue was tiny and even showing up late we were able to get right up front. I think Blaze addressed the fact that we all made it even in the horrible weather, but the show ended too quickly for our tastes. He barely acknowledged the crowd otherwise.

The following is a rough setlist found at The Iron Maiden Commentary. I can't say I recall them closing w/ The Trooper, but their guess is much better than my memory!

Man on the Edge
Wrathchild
Heaven Can Wait
Lord of the Flies
Fortunes of War
Blood on the World's Hands
Afraid to Shoot Strangers
The Evil that Men Do
The Aftermath
Sign of the Cross
2 Minutes to Midnight
The Edge of Darkness
Fear of the Dark
The Clairvoyant
Iron Maiden
E: The Number of the Beast
E: Hallowed Be Thy Name
E: The Trooper

Being the first time seeing the band, I was blown away. Forget Blaze (really, you should), Dave Murray was brilliant and has remained one of my top handful of favorite guitarists to this day. Musically, X-Factor is a good record and there's plenty of harmonies and solos that work well in a live environment. Too many acoustic intros though.