Decibel Report

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Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons live at O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire

Words by Pav Salgado, Photos by Jeff Moh

The legacy lives and we all know that this is not Motörhead but it’s probably as good as it gets; and good it is …

Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons personify rock n roll, raw and primal. They kick off with the powerful We’re the Bastards, Bite My Tongue and Going to Brazil, they know they only have a short amount of time to deliver so that’s exactly what they do. Solid riffs by Phil and the vocal power of Joel Peters are just a match made in rock heaven. Even though this is a band on its own path, the DNA of Motörhead lingers but it does not stop them from delivering loud new tunes. It works and with High Rule and a version of Born to Raise Hell accompanied by Michael Monroe on vocals the set goes stratospheric.

The volume keeps going up and up until we reach the one, that tune we all know, we all want and we desperately need… “The Ace of Spades…. the Ace of Spades” happy campers all around, fun loud and stunning rock n roll. Perfection!

Set list

  1. We're the Bastards

  2. Bite My Tongue

  3. Going to Brazil (Motörhead cover)

  4. High Rule

  5. Born to Raise Hell (Motörhead cover) (with Michael Monroe)

  6. Get on Your Knees

  7. Freak Show

  8. Dark Days

  9. Ace of Spades (Motörhead cover)