At one point of their career Accept reached the spectacular level of their live shows, and they never went down beyond that point. This writer had seen over a dozen of Accept shows, starting in 1985, and it was always powerful and perfect. Even the ill-fated 1989 show at the Vic with David Reece, after which the band broke up was still great. There was no indication that things would turn sour within minutes after getting off stage. The current incarnation of Accept delivered another spectacular show at The Arcada.
The band was extremely well prepared, and ready to roll. The show was perfected by now, and every little part worked. Accept had fun on stage, and the audience loved it. The three-guitar attack was definitely very intense, and gave the music an extra heavier edge. Instrumentally, the band was untouchable. They flew through every song at ease and never looked back. Vocalist, Mark Tornillo, was in his element; just having fun on stage, and delivering every line with excitement. After several albums and tours, he certainly earned his stripes as a seasoned Accept vocalist.
Accept opened with Zombie Apocalypse and Symphony of Pain off their latest album, Too Mean To Die. Afterwards, they jumped into Restless and Wild, only to revisit the newest album with Overnight Sensation, and The Undertaker. The new track jelled well with all the new and old classic material. Accept albums still rock, and despite the line-up changes that took place over the last few years, the quality is still there. Since reuniting with Mark Tornillo on vocals, every single Accept album delivered the goods.
Plenty of classics tracks for the audience to enjoy and re-live their youth or do. Some of the songs included were: Living for Tonite, Princess of the Dawn, Son of a Bitch, and I’m a Rebel. The band also played a meddle of few other classic tracks just to pack in as much bang for your buck as possible. The Arcada was brought down by Fast as a Shark, Metal Heart, and the anthemic, Balls to the Wall. No one could argue with this combination of songs that instantly generate an enthusiastic response. Pandemic was very timely, and also well received.
The addition of Philip Shouse on third guitar made things very interesting. Shouse is a very visual player who gets the crowd going. He’s also a very accomplished lead player. His interaction with Wolf Hoffman was quite impressive. As odd as it may looked on paper, it works beautifully on stage. Let’s not forget Wolf Hoffman, who once again had an amazing night, and played as good as only he can. Accept’s music revolved around his riffs, and his style. Hoffman is clearly the brains behind this operation, and he’s pushing Accept into eternal excellence.
Seeing Accept on Friday evening was a great way to conclude a week on a very high note. The band provided a great show, and it was great to celebrate with them the end of the week, or simply forget of any ongoing problems or pressures that may be. This was an evening of heavy and melodic songs with a touch of traditional metal class.
Mark Kadzielawa
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