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NO TIME TO BORROW FOR DIAMOND HEAD IN PENNSYLVANIA

We left Nashville for two gigs in Pennsylvania, tonight in Pittsburgh and tomorrow in the outpost of Sellersville. I say outpost because the staff at the Rex Theatre in Pittsburgh had never even heard of it. I hope the sat nav has been advised of its existence.

It was another epic journey to Pittsburgh, so much so that by the time we arrived at the venue the first support band had already started.

diamond head

I was expecting an old friend of mine, Martin, to be at the gig as he was in the city on business and sure enough as we pulled up he was waiting for us and eager to give us a welcome hand loading in.

Directly over the road from the Rex Theatre is the Diesel Club where Diamond Head played on their 2011 US tour and above the door in lights I noticed that Flotsam and Jetsam were in town tomorrow night. These guys seem to have been treading almost the same path as us over the last couple of weeks. Incidentally, Martin was taking that gig in as well.

diamond head

We loaded in and set the drums up side stage ready to go as soon as the second support finished their set. With half an hour to chill, Martin came back from the bar with a couple of nice and cold local dark lagers and I introduced him to Mick and Julie who had arrived and settled at the front of the stage.

Hella Rock Festival

The Rex Theatre is a cool venue with a nice gradient, sloping from the bar at the back, down to the stage, a little similar to the Brixton Academy though on a smaller scale, therefore ensuring great views of the band from wherever you are standing.

diamond head

The venue staff were pretty cool too, presenting me with a Rex Theatre ‘staff’ t-shirt which can’t be bad.

With the support bands final song coming to an end, it was time to react like startled gazelles and set the stage in record time and within twenty minutes the intro tape signalled the beginning of ‘Borrowed Time’ and another ninety minutes of classics and classics to be, frustratingly though Dean broke his second string of the tour and a new order for some Ernie Balls was hastily sent the next day.

diamond head

Having no time to eat when we arrived, we headed to the nearest pizza joint after the gig with Martin, Mick and Julie. The unfeasibly long wait was made bearable with great banter, some of which is featured in part II of the ‘Evil In America’ tour video trilogy, which is well worth a gander if you haven’t already had a peep.

Playing on the TV in the background was the hilarious version of ‘Enter Sandman’ by Metallica and Jimmy Fallon and the Roots using classroom instruments, which is also a must see, if you haven’t already done so.

Next up, Sellersville…..the Metropolis!

diamond head

diamond head


“Without Diamond Head, none of this would have existed…”
Lars Ulrich – Metallica

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