Glasgow’s Hydro was the place to be for the thrash metal gig of the year. The sheer energy and intensity from the three legendary bands completely took over the venue. It was a night of brutal riffs, chaos, and pure metal mayhem that no one in the crowd will forget anytime soon.
As Testament were getting ready to take to the stage, the lights dimmed, and the unmistakable riff of Beastie Boys’ “Fight for Your Right” roared through the Hydro, hyping the crowd into a frenzy. The stage was dark, but when Chris Dovas, Testament’s current drummer, emerged, illuminated by white lights and throwing up the horns, the room erupted. Moments later, the rest of the band stormed on stage, and the first song exploded into a display of flames and smoke geysers, a fiery declaration that Testament was here to dominate.
The second song kicked off, and the crowd surfers began their pilgrimage over the heads of a roaring audience. Testament wasted no time immersing us in their thrash metal madness, red and green strobes lit up the stage, casting shadows across a backdrop of winged demons. It felt like we’d been thrust into a brutal, larger than life heavy metal comic book.
Early on, the sound mix was a bit off, with drums, bass, and vocals overpowering everything else, but the energy on stage and in the crowd made up for it. Chuck Billy, the band’s frontman, addressed the crowd with his signature mix of sincerity and enthusiasm, promising an unforgettable night before launching into “Children of the Next Level”. The die hard fans at the front went absolutely wild, proving they were there for every scream, riff, and breakdown.
Every time Chuck paused to check on “Glascaw” (his thick American accent made “Glasgow” sound hilariously endearing), the crowd’s joy was palpable. At one point, he got so into the moment up on his raised platform next to Chris that he might’ve slipped in a cheeky Donald Trump style hand dance, intentional or not, it cracked me up.
When “The Formation of Damnation” blasted through the speakers, the pits opened up, and someone climbed onto their mate’s shoulders, rocking out until security decided to ruin the fun. Watching a sea of fellow long haired metalheads banging their heads and losing themselves in the chaos is the kind of shared energy that makes a gig like this unforgettable.
The band’s slower ballad, “Return to Serenity”, brought a moment of reflection. It was clear the relentless vocals had started to take their toll on Chuck’s throat, but his delivery still hit the mark, and Alex Skolnick’s solo had the crowd in awe. A dad lifted his kid onto his shoulders for the song watching the wee yin beam with joy reminded me why gigs like this are so special.
And then, as the lights dropped, boom! they were back to thrash brutality. “Low” came in hard. A Metallica fan with a cutoff vest turned around to offer us a beer. My partner gladly accepted, though I had to (designated driver life). The guy then tried to share with someone else and spilled half the pint over him, much to the other guy’s fury. But hey, it’s heavy metal, chaos and camaraderie are part of the deal.
When “Electric Crown” started, the crowd erupted into a massive singalong, led by Chuck demanding a “Hell yeah!” The fans screamed back with everything they had. Then came “More Than Meets the Eye”, my personal highlight. Hearing it live again was electrifying, and it reminded me of seeing Testament at The Garage years ago, thrashing around the pit after a few “sensible” refreshments.
They closed their set with the ferocious “Into the Pit”, commanding the crowd to create a massive circle pit. “Let’s go crazy, Glasgow!” And they did. The Hydro was a swirling mass of thrashing bodies, pure adrenaline, and shared ion. Testament reminded us why they’re thrash metal legends, delivering a performance that was raw, energetic, and unforgettable.
If the rest of the night was anything like Testament’s set, its going to be one hell of an evening at the Hydro.
If you like what we do, consider ing us on Patreon for as little as £1 per month!
The atmosphere was unreal as Kreator prepared to make their grand entrance.. With Iron Maiden’s Run to the Hills blaring over the speakers, the energy in the Hydro was already through the roof. A massive black Kreator banner obscured the stage, adding to the suspense. As the lights dimmed and an acoustic intro started, the anticipation was unbearable. Then, with a dramatic pull, the sheet fell, and the stage was revealed, a demonic masterpiece. Towering statues of demons flanked either side, and behind drummer Ventor (Jürgen Reil) stood a massive, menacing figure that looked like a hellish Dave Bautista. Without wasting a second, they tore into “Hate Über Alles”, and the place erupted.
As soon as the first song ended, horns shot into the air, and the crowd roared. I couldn’t help but grin when I spotted Frédéric Leclercq on bass. I’d completely forgotten he was with Kreator now, and it was amazing to see him in his element. ( I used to be a missive Dragonforce fan )
For the second song, things got darker, literally. Human like figures dropped from the ceiling with nooses around their necks, a visual that would send chills down your spine. By this point, every fist in the crowd was punching the air in time with the music, creating a wave of raw energy.
“GLASGOW, THE KREATOR HAS RETURNED!” Mille Petrozza bellowed, his voice cutting through the chaos. He wasn’t just addressing the crowd, he was commanding them. With a devilish grin, he demanded the night’s first wall of death, hyping up both sides of the pit before counting down in German “Eins, zwei, drei!” And just like that, the room exploded into beautifully organised chaos.
“Enemy of God” was next, and what a show it was. Fireworks, confetti, and streamers shot into the air as flames erupted from the stage. The smoke geysers completely engulfed the space, and fists were pounding the air in perfect sync with the beat. The combination of the fiery visuals and the crushing riffs made it feel like the Hydro was being dragged straight into hell.
At one point, Mille shouted, “The world is on fire, but we are united by 666 burning in the sky!” The stage turned into a sea of red and orange, flames bursting at just the right moments. The crowd responded with chants of “Hey! Hey! Hey!” in time with the drums, creating an insane sense of unity.
Then came “Hordes of Chaos”, one of my all time favourites. Hearing it live never gets old. Mille took a moment to thank Glasgow, reminiscing about their first show here back in 1992. The crowd’s roar of appreciation was deafening, and when they launched into “Betrayer”, the old school vibe took over. Crowd surfers appeared left, right, and centre, and it felt like stepping back in time to Kreator’s early days.
The haunting intro of “Satan Is Real” transformed the stage. Dry ice spilled out across the floor, and the toll of a massive church bell echoed through the venue. Red lights flashed in time with the bell, creating an atmosphere that felt both eerie and epic. During the solo, the stage went black except for a single spotlight on guitarist Sami Yli-Sirniö. The stark silhouette of Sami against the smoke filled backdrop was a perfect metal moment.
The theatrical peak came during “Phantom Antichrist”. Demons carrying flaming torches took the stage, followed by monks wheeling out wicker men. As the song built up, the demons lit the wicker men on fire, flames roaring to life as confetti and streamers blasted into the air. It was over the top in the best way possible.
Kreator closed their set with “Pleasure to Kill”. Mille wasted no time calling for one final wall of death, and the crowd didn’t hesitate. Streamers rained down as the pit went wild, a fitting end to what was easily the best show I’ve ever seen from them.
Kreator isn’t just a band they’re an experience. From the fiery stage production to the sheer power of their music, they delivered a show that won’t be forgotten any time soon. This was thrash metal at its absolute finest.
Don’t fancy Patreon? Buy us a one-off beverage!
Anthrax hit the stage in true theatrical style, their set initially hidden behind a massive white sheet featuring a QR code to win a signed setlist. The lights dimmed, and a video began to play, featuring an incredible lineup of legends like Keanu Reeves, Lady Gaga, Stephen King, Corey Taylor, Gene Simmons, and more, all praising Anthrax’s legacy of mixing furious thrash metal with humour and larger than life stage shows. By the time the video ended with “Scream for us” emblazoned on the screen, Glasgow erupted into chaos.
Joey Belladonna wasted no time owning the stage, charging around like a man possessed up and down the raised platform behind drummer Charlie Benante. The energy was infectious, kicking off with classics like “A.I.R.”, “Got the Time”, and “Caught in a Mosh”. Despite the age of some fans in the crowd (let’s just call them “veteran thrashers”), they moshed and headbanged as if it were the 80s all over again.
When “Fight ‘Til You Can’t” came on, it showcased how Anthrax seamlessly blends old school thrash vibes with massive, catchy choruses almost a wee hint of the John Bush era. It’s newer, sure, but it stands tall alongside the classics. Meanwhile, Frank Bello was bouncing around the stage, putting on a show as if his life depended on it.
The band even celebrated Benante’s birthday, with Joey giving him a moment of spotlight as fans cheered. Joey also took a moment to call out the mix of “new freaks” alongside their loyal “old freaks” who’ve been with them for decades, shouting “This is a mad house!” The crowd roared back, proving they still had more energy left despite screaming their lungs out all night.
Scott Ian couldn’t hold back his excitement, delivering his signature thrash banter. He mentioned that this was the biggest crowd Anthrax has ever headlined to in Scotland, which prompted the inevitable “Here we fucking go!” chant. Ian grinned and fired back with, “You got that fucking right!” He then asked, “Glasgow, do you fucking love thrash metal?” The resounding response surely made the Hydro’s foundations shake.
“Here is a song about a man who is Judge, jury and executioner… ‘I Am the Law’!“
Introduced with a nod to their Among the Living era. Scott Ian was so hyped, he tripped on stage but recovered like a pro without missing a beat, I’m not even sure if anyone spotted it, everyone was to busy having the time of their lives.
A standout moment came when the tin foil-like Anthrax backdrop fell ( oh I forgot to mention the back drop was a massive Anthrax logo made out of what can only be described as tin foil haha ), revealing a massive collage of their album covers. Cue “Antisocial” and the crowd exploded. Joey even found a random hard hat on stage and wore it for the rest of the song, much to everyone’s delight.
The night reached its peak with the iconic “Indians”, with Joey proudly donning an Indian headdress handed to him by a fan. The war dance was called, and Glasgow delivered, unleashing a circle pit so massive it felt like the entire venue was moving.
Just when it seemed like the show couldn’t get any bigger, Anthrax finished the night with “Gung-Ho”. The blistering speed and energy left no doubt that this was the perfect closer for such an unforgettable set.
Anthrax brought raw energy, charisma, and humour to their performance. For a band that’s been at it for over 40 years, they’ve still got it and then some. Glasgow loved every second, and Anthrax gave it all right back.
Photos by Gary Cooper
