Eagles Of Death Metal, Muffathalle Munich, 10/18/09

If a location like the Muffathalle (for outsiders: huge, square, walls so high almost scratching the clouds) is ment to be for any band, then surely for a band like the Eagles of Death Metal. While soft and cosy sounds from, let’s say for example, Death Cab for Cutie fade into the nirvana of cold stone walls und sound engineers have to work hard to pimp music of otherwise utterly genious musicians to a bearable level (means: pumping up the volume to “hearing loss guaranteed maximum level”), Jesse “The Devil” Hughes and his not so little helpers only need a secure grip onto his diamonds and their instruments easily play themselves.

I missed “This City”. Two supporting bands are simply too much to grasp. The second support was a band called “Sweethead” (yap, no originality awards are expected here.), and even before they finished their second half-time most of the people already left for an outdoor smoke. Seems like the typical Eagles fan was not eager about the confident, dynamic appearance of frontwoman Serrina Sims, who looked a lot like Lambretta singer Linda Sundblad, but emulated Juliette Lewis. In the back of the stage Sims got some help from Queens of the Stone Age guitarist Troy Van Leeuwen – which suddenly explains the absurd slot as EoDM-support.

Still in smoking mode outside the doors the people were suddenly woken up by Jesse Hughe’s floating and relaxed appearance. He mindlessly pushed himself through the crowded pre-entry area, a cigarette hanging out of one corner of his mouth, smiling at one lady, saying “Hello Baby!” to another, which almost puts the poor girl into a waking coma.

Without the oestrogenes floating through the bloodstreams it was much easier in this case to be a man. Only yell a loud and clear “JESSEEE!” in the direction of the requested and he reaches out his fist for our pleasure. A quick brush through the long blonde hair and the next second he disappeared again backstage, leaving an impatient, horny audience behind. In a rush everyone threw away their cigarettes and hurried back inside, because:  if you weren’t really close to the stage, you weren’t really there. If you hair wasn’t wet of beer after ten minutes of Eagle power, you were probably wearing a bathing cap. If you didn’t sweat like an animal you were actually doing something wrong and if you didn’t feel someone elses shoes on your feet and didn’t have bruises afterwards, you did not get the whole point of attending this show. You do not spend a cosy sweet night of swaying rythmically with the EoDM. It’s all about the rock, and not the x-rated kind that terrorizes us on the radio. This band understands what the word rock meant originally. They are raw, hard, loud and all kinds of dirty, but still they now how to juggle between strong riffs and wonderfully catchy lyrics and melodies which makes other musicians lower their heads in shame. The fans in front of the stage seemed to know every word of the lyrics and sang along like there was a prize for it. In between songs every single person liftet it’s hands like to say to the band: “Thank you, that was insane!”

Having a lead singer like Jesse Hughes it’s like the icing on the cake. That guy can heat up thousands of people, he knows how to talk to his fans. Men just as much as women are falling for him, he is charming, he got wit, and I believe his flirting got him some new bras for his collection (which I assume exists, I would be shocked if not.), he knows how to talk dirty and still be the gentlemen who smiles all the time. I don’t know a single soul who once has seen him live and did not like him. The only thing that would have been even more sexy and thrilling was if Josh Homme would have joined. But imagine, if Josh Homme would have walked through all those people too, how much comatose girls he would have had to walk over! 

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