Grace Solero: Metal Injection – Hamburg 2016

Mariangela Demurtas (Tristania) calls her “one of the most talented people she know.” We are talking about singer, songwriter and guitarist Grace Solero from London. So far, only toured in UK, they now ventured with her band to cross the English Channel to the Continent. A mini-European tour with performances in Hamburg, Berlin and Amsterdam. Tour opener was on 18th February in Monkeys Music Club in Hamburg Altona. Unfortunately, very few fans came this evening, but it was Thursday and the first metal event in this location.  

The opening band of the night had travelled from Berlin. For Rebels and Rivals it was the first show in Hamburg. The band around the charismatic frontwoman Dany was also founded only last year. The songs of the evening came from the debut EP “Dead Heroez” published in September. Frontwoman Dany took advantage of the entire width of the stage, she partly screamed her mind to the heavens just to sing with rocking clear vocals the next moment. That was Nu Metal right in the kisser. As a conclusion they played with “4th Empire” a completely new song.  

Setlist Rebels + Rivals

• Rebels + Rivals
• Noize
• I Will Revolt
• Blacklight
• 13 Stairs
• Dead Heroez
• 4th Empire

Razorheads  are a bit longer on stage. Since 2010, the Hamburg based band will present their Stonerdoom. The trio stood calmly on stage and conjured a sound from the speakers, which somehow reminded me of Motörhead, only the announcement “We are Razorheads  and we play rock’n roll” was missing. An impressive musical performance. Especially guitarist Flint excelled again by his virtuoso guitar playing. On the set list were eight songs from their self-titled debut album from 2013. Also, the end of the show brought back memories of the band of the recently deceased Lemmy, the guitars were placed in the stand and the band left the stage with up and falling feedback sounds.  

Setlist Razorheads

• You Don´t Deserve Me 
• Crooked Ways 
• Zombies auf der Reeperbahn 
• Motortrance 
• Fuck You, That´s My Name 
• Born To Follow 
• Black Sox Getcha Laid 
• Mysts

I know Grace Solero for many years on Facebook. Now I could see the pretty blond Englishwoman personally. In 2008 she founded a band named after herself and one year later she released her debut album “New Moon”. For their second album “Hundred Years Apart” she then took five years. So now the first appearance in Germany. The band presented a mix of rock and metal, which is difficult to pigeonholes  in a kind of music. Vocally she is a mixture of Alanis Morissette and Skin from Skunk Anansie. Playing on their silvery rhythm guitar reminded me a bit of Melissa Etheridge. Most played songs came from their current album. With “Awake” then a brand new song was introduced. I unfortunately had to leave the concert early because I had to reach my train.  

Setlist Grace Solero

• Unless
• St. Ives
• Riptide
• Electro
• Eternal Love
• Circles
• Far Away
• Apartheid
• Troops
• Awake
• Real

Some years ago I have already been to this location, as it was still the club  KIR. The interiors of the Monkeys has not changed compared to its predecessor. The light was still bad for a concert, the sound, however, was able to convince. It was a varied evening. Only the bands would  have deserved more viewers.