Through The Lens: Obituary / Pest Control @ Club Academy, Manchester 10th September 2023

September saw quite a run of gigs as a day after Mutoid Man at The Bread Shed, it was time for death metal legends Obituary to hit our fair city at Manchester’s Club Academy.

A band I have a long history with, and to make me feel old, the security guy who was checking photo passes asked me if I’d seen them before, I said I have, although the last time was back in 1994, at the gone but not forgotten Bradford Rios I should add, and his reply ‘I wasn’t even born then’. Ohh, thanks for that, you’ve made my night – haha.

Before the headliners, support came from Leeds based Pest Control, a band who were new to me, but they played a furious set of crossover thrash metal as vocalist Leah Massey-Hay took command of the stage as well as the eager crowd with ease. I also have to give massive kudos to bass player Jack Padurariu who adorned a t-shirt from fellow Leeds dwellers The Shits, a hate-fueled doom and drone band that are firm favourites on The Shaman.

Then it was time for Obituary, who really did not disappoint the ram packed venue as they bludgeoned their way through choice cuts from their entire back catalogue. John Tardy’s vocals have lost none of their power and execution, while the rest of the band – Donald Tardy (drums), Trevor Peres (rhythm guitar), Kenny Andrews (lead guitar) and Terry Butler (bass) – delivered their brutal, yet grooving, death metal with pinpoint precision that was immortalised with the closing number, and now anthem, Slowly We Rot.

An awesome gig and below are my efforts at capturing the night…

Obituary

Pest Control

Photos by: Lee Edwards