After Thrash Hits’ world-exclusive breaking of the story a week before, no-one was really surprised when that banner we’re all oh so familiar with from so many shows promoting The Blackening began its steady rise at the back of the stage. After all the will-they-won’t-they shenanigans, Robb Flynn and co decided they would make to Knebworth after all.
Swaggering onto the stage like a cowboy that’s just double-dipped every mother-daughter combo from Tennessee to Tallahassee, Flynn grins his way through opener ‘Imperium’, before tearing into the first of several tirades as to why Machine Head only came back to Sonisphere for the fans. He talks this afternoon’s performance up as a victory for MH over Sonisphere, claiming they were “begged” to come back. Of course, no mention is made by Flynn that his mob are still playing beneath the Bizkit, who sit snugly in the slot MH claimed was promised to them, and their removal from being the cause of their threatened withdrawal to begin with.
As packed with crunch as their career-spanning set was – who would’ve thought ‘Bulldozer’ or the oft-overlooked thrash ear-fuck of ‘Struck a Nerve’ would get an airing? – we couldn’t help but feel restless by the end of the hour-long set. Machine Head have toured The Blackening right into the ground, so hopefully Knebworth will mark the last time we see them hawk it on these shores before they get on with the serious challenge of recording its follow-up.
Machine Head @ Sonisphere Festival 2009 photos courtesy of Gary Wolstenholme
—–
Machine Head @ Sonisphere Festival 2009 setlist
Imperium
Ten Ton Hammer
Beautiful Mourning
Old
Bulldozer
Struck A Nerve
Halo
Davidian