Dirty Rotten Imbeciles / Moral Dilemma

D.R.I. (a.k.a. Dirty Rotten Imbeciles, for those who don't know) are accredited with being one of the first bands to weld thrash metal and hardcore music together to help create crossover, the name of their third album, and thirty years later they are still going strong with half of their original line up. Having released their last album in 1995, they are avoiding the typical going-through-the-motions fate that befalls many bands that enjoyed a cult following in the eighties. It's a rare hot summer's evening in London and the quartet is back a year later to celebrate thirty years of dirty rebellion in North London. The crowd is composed of metalheads, punks and hardcore aficionados, the three subcultures usually seen together solely at crossover shows.

A relatively new band, supporting trio Moral Dilemma whet the audience's appetite for voracious hardcore punk music with a bold set. Although a relatively new group, releasing their debut in 2007, these London-based punk rockers have managed to secure slots supporting punk legends The Dead Kennedys and The Subhumans. With an austere attitude, the racket made by these three beckons the audience to start moshing, quite appropriately. Some of the metalheads appear somewhat subdued, fans of D.R.I. for their thrash roots as opposed to the hardcore nature of the music, but the overall crowd reaction is commendable.

After the consumption of more beer, San Francisco veterans D.R.I. explode on stage with opener 'Who Am I?' from the 'Dirty Rotten LP' and the audience burst into a rapturous frenzy, raising fists and voices along with vocalist Kurt Brecht. It is remarkable watching his limitless energy on stage for the duration of the set, in spite of his age. The youthful vigour that was captured on the original records has faded now but his tone of voice is frustrated and rebellious still.

As is the nature of crossover, some of the tracks are so brief and heavy, they hit like a punch. A plethora of beloved tracks are hammered to the voracious fans, including 'Argument Then War', 'Beneath The Wheel', 'I'd Rather Be Sleeping', 'Against Me', 'Violent Pacification', 'Suit and Tie Guy', 'How to Act' and 'The Five Year Plan'. The Americans even air some brand new songs which will not disappoint D.R.I. fans in the slightest, being in the same vein and constructed to thrash out to.

The musical onslaught scores stage divers, moshers and headbangers in a storm of violence, regardless if the part of a song being performed is mid-tempo or going at a break-neck pace, as most of the time it usually is. D.R.I.'s music shines exceptionally in the live environment, better than on record. The sound of the venue is a little murky but this compliments the abrasiveness and untidy nature of the group's compositions anyway. Crossover is not meant to sound polished.

When D.R.I. vacate the stage, the energy in the audience in in abundance as strong chants of "D-R-I!" ensure the cross over icon's return to the stage for a particularly generous encore. The fans swallow it whole and the concern concludes with the Americans thanking the attendees and the sweaty crowd with smiles on their face. This was a brutal thrashing gig that is definitely going to promise D.R.I. a strong audience if they return to London again and if they do, such an event cannot take place too soon.

FUTURE GIGS

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