Many years ago I attended a guitar masterclass with the legendary singer/songwriter Gordon Giltrap. It was just one man with an acoustic guitar, but the sound and sheer ferocity of riffage he managed to extract from his poor, tortured acoustic left a lasting memory.

That night was brought to mind as I stood watching three cellos and a drum kit make one hell of a racket in the SWG3. The whole Apocalyptica concept shouldn’t work, but it does and as the guys proved tonight music really does know no bounds.

The band have been around for just over 30 years now and what started out as a bit of a novelty has now grown to a point where the band have a huge, loyal following. They have recent released their ‘Plays Metallica Vol 2’ album, which has been fully endorsed by the band themselves with both James Hetfield and Rob Trujillo appearing on the recordings.

Tonight, the band were up against another big metal show across town and a major Euro football tie just across the Clyde, however, they still had a very healthy crowd in SWG3 when I arrived. I say when as, due to horrendous gridlocked traffic, I arrived just in time to catch the last number of tonight’s support The Raven Age. The track I heard was excellent and judging by the reaction at the end of the set, they had gone down very well with the crowd. I will have another chance to catch the bands full set next year when they return to Glasgow in support to Iron Maiden.

Tonight, though, was all about Apocalyptica, Metallica and cellos. As the lights dimmed and the familiar strains of ‘Ecstasy Of Gold’ rolled out the PA, the anticipation in the crowd was at fever pitch. The band kicked off with ‘Ride The Lightening’, silhouetted on a curtain stage front which was then dropped to reveal the three pronged cello attack.

‘Enter Sandman’ then made an early appearance in the set complete with the crowd providing vocals in the chorus, a theme that would continue throughout the set, Metallica karaoke of the highest order!

Drummer Mikko Kaakkuriniemi then stepped up to hammer out the opening of ‘Creeping Death’ before Eicca Toppinen and Perttu Kivilaakso pitched in with the huge riff. They also had the crowd crying ‘die, die, die’ in the mid-section. The pace then slowed a little for ‘For Whom The Bell Tolls’ with Paavo Lötjönen taking on the Cliff Burton role on bass cello.

A fast and furious ‘Battery’ followed before one of the nights many highlights. For the album, the band managed to secure Cliff Burton’s original bass parts for ‘Call Of Ktulu’. Here the song was played with Cliff’s image watching on from the rear video screen on stage for added poignancy. The much maligned ‘St Anger’ then made a rare appearance which was good to hear. Yes, I am one of those strange people that actually like the St Anger album!

The stage set tonight was fairly sparce, but good use was made of the rear stage video screen and some excellent lighting added to the performance. The band had played in London at the Royal Albert Hall a few days prior to this show and I can only imagine how epic things would have been in those hallowed surroundings.

A heavy, chugging ‘Sad But True’ then led into a trip back to the ‘Kill ‘Em All’ album with ‘The Four Horsemen’ riding out, complete with some frantic bowing action. It turned out that the guys were just warming up for a full-on assault of ‘Blackened’ which then ran into ‘Master Of Puppets’, you could almost see the sparks flying as horsehair met metal strings.

The crowd were brought in for vocal support once again during ‘Nothing Else Matters’, a song that could have been written with the cello in mind, probably not though! This warmed up the vocal chords nicely for ‘Seek and Destroy’ which brought the set to an end with the usual call and response section present and correct.

The guys saved the best until last though as their take on ‘One’ was stunning. On the new album this track is voiced by James Hetfield reading the lyrics over the top of the track. This giving the new version a new air of menace and hopelessness. The fact that Apocalyptica can take on the twists and turns of this classic and give it a whole new edge is testament to the musicianship within their ranks and the Glasgow crowd certainly appreciated their genius.

When I mentioned this gig to a work colleague and explained the concept, he appeared skeptical at best. If only he had been in SWG3 tonight I can guarantee you that he would be a convert to the cause as few could resist the enthusiasm, musicianship and sheer bloody fun provided over 90 minutes.

Forget ‘The Four Horsemen’ and ride out with the three bowmen of the Apocalypse instead…

Review and photos by Dave Wilson

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.
In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.

Next session: Sunday 27 October

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David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 29 September 2024.

UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 24 September 2024.

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Power Plays w/c 14 October 2024

ALT BLK ERA Come On Outside (indie)
THE NEW ROSES Hold Me Up (Napalm Records)
ROYALE LYNN Sacrifice (indie)
BLACK NOTE GRAFFITI The Source (Golden Robot Records)
ANNIE AND THE JAYS Too Shallow (indie)
JULIET’S NOT DEAD Open Fire (TMR Rock Records)

Featured Albums w/c 14 October 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 KINGS OF MERCIA Battle Scars (Metalville)
14:00-16:00 JON BODEN & THE REMNANT KINGS Parlour Moods (Hudson Records)