Live Review: Avenged Sevenfold at the Plymouth Pavilions

Plymouth Pavilions
November 6th 2010
With Stone Sour

After a storming hour from Stone Sour beforehand, the packed Pavilions had high hopes for Avenged Sevenfold. The lights dimmed, the curtain dropped, the opening to Nightmare started over the PA, and the crowd went into raptures.

Synyster Gates led the five-piece out on stage, confidently strutting across in a way that only he can do and still back it up with his guitar prowess. The backdrop was of three gates, in turn reading A7X and in between the gates were pillars, with each song flames appeared from the pillars and gates to add to the already incredible atmosphere inside the Pavilions. Without hesitating, Gates and co. went straight into the guitar parts of Nightmare with CD quality sound.

Avenged were clearly up for a party in Plymouth, these guys are born performers and had the crowd in the palm of their hands for the whole hour. M. Shadows was flawless, if a little quiet in some places, but Nightmare was a true spectacle to be part of.

The set was a mix of songs both old and new, but as the time limit was very strict, it swayed more towards the new songs from latest album Nightmare. Critical Acclaim was to some extent a surprise inclusion in the set, but Avenged played it straight after opening song Nightmare to many adoring fans who echoed the words of Shadows. Welcome to the Family, the second track from Nightmare was played after Shadows welcomed all the fans in the room to the extended family that is the Avenged Sevenfold fan base.

The Beast and the Harlot was the next song to play, from 2007 album City of Evil and it was note perfect, this was probably second nature to them, but still they gave their all. Zacky Vengeance and Synyster Gates really looked like they were enjoying the gig, with left-handed Zacky standing beside Gates several times for the classic Avenged Sevenfold pose.

The backdrop slowly moved away, to reveal another backdrop of the group in a huddle, with Jimmy “The Rev” Sullivan tattooed on ones back, this initiated a poignant memorial to Jimmy, who sadly passed away in December 2009. The song that followed was the song that Synyster Gates wrote in memory of The Rev, So Far Away and you could tell straight off that everybody was emotional during the performance, this was one hundred percent from the heart and a fitting song to how they must feel having to go through such a painful time.

Afterlife was also a part of the tribute to Jimmy as well, and again it was memorable – not that any of the set was forgettable – but there was something about the two songs in Jimmy's name, they just had that extra something about them, they really wanted to do this for The Rev.

As a final song, Shadows asked the crowd to choose. The band were already geared up to play Almost Easy, but when Shadows passed his microphone to a girl in the crowd she chose Bat Country out of the two options, a fine choice! After a quick switch of guitars Shadows bellowed into the mic like a man possessed, despite doctors warnings after he has previously burst a blood vessel in his throat. The entire song was astounding, Mike Portnoy really stepped up to the plate for Avenged, and he got a special thanks from all the band during the show.

It was an honour to catch Avenged Sevenfold live, and just to experience the vibe they give off, and the energy they take on stage is just mind blowing, a truly memorable event.