Evil Scarecrow return to London as part of a short tour of the UK. We’re in attendance to see how the metal panto is shaping up in 2024!

It is a rather damp February evening as I venture into London to see my first Evil Scarecrow gig in a small club. I’ve seen them a few times at festivals where they have always been entertaining and I wanted to see if this same atmosphere would translate over to a smaller venue without quite the same level of alcohol consumption! I wasn’t disappointed but more on that later!

I AM YOUR GOD

The venue is about half full as opening act, I Am Your God take to the stage. Looking full of youthful exuberance, this quintet are only playing their second gig outside Finland this evening. You wouldn’t know it though. They put on a tight and impressive show, songs with elements of various metal genres, all squashed together into something that sounds pretty cohesive and solid.

Frontman Julius combines growls and singing with furious windmilling which threatens to actually lift him from the stage! And the stage itself, which is small at the best of times, is looking very crowded with two drumkits and the band squeezed into a small working space. No matter though, the guys blast through a pretty short set, Flowers On Your Grave being a standout, with some impressive drumming and riffing.

The set concludes with Believe Again which takes the band in a more melodic direction, showing another side to the songwriting and allowing for some clean singing too. The set is well received and both band and audience seem to have enjoyed themselves.

Inthewhale

Next up on the bill is Inthewhale from Colorado, USA; a band comprising of just a guitarist (Nathaniel Valdez) and drummer (Eric Riley). Starting with Antlion, the solid nature of the drumming sets the scene for a heavy set. While the lack of a bass or second guitarist could make for a thin sound, this is definitely not the case with the sound tonight, with the Garage PA working overtime to deliver a pretty full onslaught.

Deep End continues in the same manner with the music allowing enough space for the vocals to resonate around the now full venue. Some interesting arrangements here, definitely not generic or formulaic metal, indeed you would be hard pressed to describe Inthewhale as metal at all. The Stretcher once again showcases the rock solid drumming of Riley and while the vocals do sometimes sound a little flat, no one in the crowd seems to notice.

The overall sound and vocals are reminiscent of Nirvana in places, and Prong too, maybe a little less accessible but still enjoyable all the same. Dead Words chugs along a nice breakdown of a chorus and closing track Drug Dealer seals the deal with the crowd now fully on board. Valdez explains the band are 100% independent, no label or PR. It feels good to support this approach.

Evil Scarecrow

So, the venue is now full and getting in the mood for Evil Scarecrow. The stage is dressed with props and impressive inflatables are ready! As I’ve already said, I’ve only seen this band at festivals in the past and it is difficult sometimes to really get a feel for what a band would be like when taken out of the feel-good, alcohol-fuelled, festival-induced haze. I was looking forward to see how manic they would be in a small club like the Garage and whether their brand of humorous metal would translate well.

Starting with Nuclear Fallout Machine Sentience and from the extended intro it is clear this is going to be an evening to remember. The crowd sings along to the chanty chorus and slowly but surely we all become part of the same Scarecrow family. Robototron, a song that helped make them a festival favourite, sees pretty much the whole venue doing the Robototron dance and there is much laughter and goodwill coursing through the crowd with Robots on the stage emerging from the banners on each side!

At intervals during the set Dr Hell shouts “Cor Blimey London” in an exaggerated London cockney accent, this is mirrored back to him from the crowd. Each time this happens I grin from ear to ear!! There are also references to Dave Mustaine being on stage etc, followed by a Megadeth snippet, once again I laugh out loud along with the rest of the punters!

For Master Of The Dojo we have boards with lyrics to song along to – Strike first, Show No Mercy, with the room split down the middle, a guy in the audience is singled out and passed a pair of massive chop sticks, then told he has to catch a giant fly to win a DVD (clearly someone in Evil Scarecrow has a room full of old DVDs!). At the end of the song he manages to catch the fly and there is a massive cheer from the crowd. It is all great fun and part of the magic of an Evil Scarecrow gig where what looks like complete madness when written down translates to hilarity at a gig!

Hell Dog is introduced as “Thrash meets Opeth! ” and Polterghost sees the addition of a ghost in a white sheet on the stage and the audience is encouraged to sway! Indeed, soon the whole room is swaying! For Release The Kraken we have someone in a chicken costume on the stage (Dave Mustaine perhaps?!) and much chicken clucking going on. A couple of guys who have their birthdays today are singled out and a chicken circle pit starts up around them!

Dr Hell gets the audience to shout Eggs in various heavy metal voicings, growls, super high pitched etc. The punters dutifully obey and there are laughs all round.

Blackened The Everything is described as “a sad song” with Dr Hell saying “…let me hear you sobbing!” Much eye-rubbing in the crowd! Hurricanado is the pretend last song and here the audience is encouraged to lift an arm and spin on the spot like a tornado! After a brief pause, Evil Scarecrow return to the stage for a brief moment of sobriety to mention their long-time producer Russ Russell who is recovering from oesophageal cancer and to thank everyone involved in the tour. Then the madness continues with The Ballad Of Brother Pain and finishing with the inevitable Crabulon that sees the whole room doing crab claws and shuffling left and right. A perfect song to end the night on.

So, I’ve barely mentioned the music, which is a first for me on a gig review. Much of the substance of an Evil Scarecrow gig is about the visuals, inflatables, clever stage dressing etc and, most importantly, the interaction with the audience. However, the music is the foundation that holds all of this together and the band are squeaky tight tonight, and each individual member plays their part well. So, definitely no complaints in this department.

Leaving the venue, I can’t help but think what a cracking show I’ve just experienced, fab atmosphere throughout and entertainment of the highest order. Definitely more than just another metal gig, if Evil Scarecrow are playing anywhere near you in the future I would suggest it would be a good investment of your time to pop along and join in the fun!

All concert photography by Graham Hilling. You can check out more of his work on his website, here.

Evil Scarecrow online: Facebook / X (formerly Twitter) / Instagram / YouTube / Bandcamp

Inthewhale online: Website / Facebook / X (formerly Twitter) / Instagram / YouTube / Bandcamp

I Am Your God online: Website / Facebook / Instagram

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