Disturbed - Live at Alexandra Palace
Disturbed - Live from Alexandra Palace
© Copyright Stewart Marsden
Alexandra Palace, affectionately known as Ally Pally, has everything you could need for a great day out. The Grade II listed Victorian building opened in 1873 and has survived two world wars and two massive fires. In 1936 it became the birthplace of BBC Television. The grounds are beautiful and offer stunning views over the city skyline. Alexandra Palace is a great venue, and it adds a certain majesty to any event. Ally Pally has played host to all kinds of attractions: darts, a company night out, the bars, a walk in the park grounds, a picnic on a summer’s afternoon. But tonight it was the guys from Chicago, Disturbed, on their first UK tour since December 2010. I was very grateful to Warner Brothers Music for letting me in to capture the performance.
Skindred
Kick-starting the evening were Welsh heavy metal band Skindred, instantly taking the night into top gear with their finest, guaranteed crowd-pleasing material. Frontman Benji Webbe made their performance an incredibly fun experience with some fantastic crowd interaction, and the audience more than happily joined in when called upon. Their music mixes alternative rock and reggae with so many other influences that it’s hard to categorise them, so why bother?
I was surprised to see such a high-calibre outfit as Skindred in a supporting role. “Warning” was a fantastic track to end their set with, and their performance left energy levels high as the audience awaited the headline act, having just witnessed a performance more than worthy of any headline bill. The band members are all fantastic performers as well as great musicians.
Disturbed
The words “ARE YOU READY” strobe on the big screen at the back of the stage, and the music kicks in: the perfect track to start any gig. “GET UP” strobes on the screen. Disturbed are on stage in full swing. David Draiman’s unique vocals echo around the Great Hall, riding on Dan Donegan’s riffs, as they both roam the stage, singling out as many fans as they can with eye contact and pointing. Photographers in the pit were all warned about the pyrotechnics before Disturbed took to the stage, and the flames were going off right from the outset.
Disturbed know how to make an entrance!
Disturbed give an epic performance live. Their songs seem somehow much larger than they do on CD, and they deliver their studio-quality live music with unrelenting force. The audience savour every moment, with their hands in the air, a few obligatory devil horns and, of course, mobile phones held high by those recording the event instead of enjoying it.
Disturbed played all their well-known classics and a few more to a very hungry crowd who sang along with every one of them. It was as if they had accidentally brought their own backing choir, a few thousand strong. It was an incredible night. “Land of Confusion”, the Genesis cover, went down a storm. And of course, David Draiman’s powerful and emotional delivery of “The Sound of Silence” was a real showstopper. It was like he was singing it especially for his mum.
The encore
With the main set over and the band back for an encore, the big screen displayed a message on a topic that is too often swept under the rug, one that affects more people than any of us could ever realise and has a devastating impact: mental health, depression, anxiety and suicide. The Samaritans helpline number was displayed on all the screens. David Draiman was clearly very emotional talking about friends like Chris Cornell and Chester Bennington, and other people he has lost. There was a montage of video clips of the band at the dawn of their journey, hanging out with some of their absent friends, who are sadly missed not only by those who knew them but by those who appreciated their talents. The songs chosen for the encore took on a new, deeper and more personal meaning, played against this backdrop.
Music can be a powerful therapy, sometimes better than any medicine. As someone who has had mental health problems, hearing such humble and compassionate words from a band that genuinely cares about its fans was a powerful note to end the night on.
Sometimes darkness can show you the light.
Look after your loved ones.
Thanks again, Warner Brothers Music.
Setlist
Are You Ready
Prayer
The Vengeful One
The Animal
Stupify
Voices
Land of Confusion
Ten Thousand Fists
The Game
No More
A Reason to Fight
Hold On to Memories
The Sound of Silence
Indestructible
Inside the Fire
The Light
Stricken
Down with the Sickness
