DEAD CROSS at Download and Underworld Camden, June 2018. Photos and Videos.

Mike Patton and cos first trip together to the UK was limited to the Download Festival on June 10th. However within minutes of the band leaving the stage at Castle Donnington a last minute show at Underworld Camden in London was revealed for the following day. 
We were on location at Download to check out the first DxCx show in England. The crowd was rather small and subdued but this was at 1.30 in the afternoon on the final day of the festival. There were a scattering of Mr. Bungle, Faith No More and Slayer shirts here and there, Dead Cross obviously containing legends Patton and Dave Lombardo would attract the curious as well as fans.
No time was wasted and the band kicked off with the furious Seizure and Desist followed by Idiopathic and Obedience School. There wasn't much time for Patton to address the crowd, he seemed to have a few sound issues but they were not obvious from the front of house, however that craziness we love was in his eyes and he screamed and howled his was through the band's small catalogue. Bela Lugosi's Dead and Church Of The Motherfuckers were highlights. As is the case with all early festival spots the set seemed far to short and over too soon. 

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Alternative Nation

The gig remains edgy, especially when a fan decides to punch Patton in the penis for the only reason that he is so close to the stage. Patton exchanges a few friendly slaps with his hands but gives a look back that could kill and tells the fan to behave themselves, saying “don’t make me” in reference that the fan will either be leaving with a few punches himself or ejected by security. In the end thankfully the situation calms itself down. Patton has never been one to shy away either and tells the London crowd that he doesn’t like the city though you can never quite tell if he means it as he says it with a smile. He does tell us that Download Festival was a drag and that comes as no surprise given that this band were made for moments like tonight not stuck outside in a field on a massive stage. The show continues with frantic speed and in the chaos of it all you rub your eyes not quite believing that one of the worlds greatest drummers Dave Lombardo is on stage. The man remains a beast between the sticks, after the show he was also happy to hang out with fans.

Metal Forces

Throughout, Mike Crain’s guitar and Justin Pearson’s bass were thunderous reminders as to how music can still remain violently fresh in a watered down music society; Lombardo’s drums still reminding us all of what Slayer has missed so much as his wall of sound acted as a more than sturdy rear guard.

And the grooves remained dark flinching bursts of hostility. ‘My Perfect Prisoner’ and ‘Seizure And Desist’ were riddled with manic tension and Patton’s vocal flips and flops, before the hyper ‘Shillelagh’ teemed rawness and moody flavour upon us with the combo thrashing, cranking and jerking before the sudden advent of a massive yet oh so brief hook lulled more befuddled victims into its grinding lair of malevolence and volatile punk chants.

Jessica Lotti Photography

Simon Takes Photos