By Clare McCabe  

Artist: Head Like A Hole & 8 Foot Sativa

Date / Venue: Saturday August 8th, 2015 - Galatos, Auckland

After a fascinating interview with Mr Nigel Regan of HLAH a few weeks back, I was certainly looking forward to catching their live show (last of the tour) at Galatos last night. And of course I was not disappointed.

Galatos proved to be the perfect venue for Head Like a Hole's triumphant return to the stage in Auckland - cute little venue, great sound and it was packed. The crowd were jammed in on all sides. And the crowd wore black - literally all of them.

First up was 8 Foot Sativa and boy do they have some enthusiastic fans. There were circle pits, headbanging, great growling lyrics from frontman Jack, and some seriously heavy tunes. Thanks guys.

A short break and here they come .... Booga, looking youthful and very svelte in his great leather outfit (bringing out the old stage gear my friend?), long hair, studs and crosses everywhere and even a handy skull to hold up. Oh and nice flaming hammer Booga. Andrew stands to one side hiding behind that great curtain of hair and hardly moving. Simon bounces around the stage sharing the mic with whoever he can, Nigel sings along to everything and Mike pounds away on drums keeping everyone in order. So. Much. Energy. The guys are on their final night of this tour and they are on FIRE (literally).

And so we are treated to 1 ½ hours of fantastic dirty rock n roll. They start of with The Great Wall from their latest release Narcocorrido - great choice guys, that song is your new anthem. Valhalla makes an appearance, as does Fish Across Face, Comfortably Shagged, a stunning version of Wet Rubber and more tunes from the new album. Cornbag is sung along to enthusiastically by the audience. The boys just keep them coming and the crowd hang on to every word.

Booga makes jokes about his appearance (no more fat Jim Morrison) and they swing into Hootenany, the last song he says. I don't THINK so... 
And I am right.

The trumpet player is momentarily unavailable, so the band launches into I'm On Fire, with a few words missing (I've forgotten the words... you guys sing) but Booga quickly catches up and continues my fave song of the evening, Ooooooh I'm on Fire. Simon rushes off stage for a beer, the boys mill about a bit and then the trumpet girl is found and we are treated to Crying Shame, followed by the mighty anthem that is Glory Glory, a song with some of the best lyrics ever - Booze Hag, Fat Slag anyone?

I don't think the guys actually want to leave, Booga seems ready for more... but curfews are calling as it's already midnight, so bows are taken and they depart. As do we with the last song ringing in our ears and stuck in our brains - Glory Glory, Hallelujah, just like a knife, it cuts right through ya.

Jesus Christ guys, what a night. You more than proved to be back on form. More tours thanks. We will be waiting.