I've wanted to be 18 ever since Emasculator came to The Black Heart, and I knew I looked too young to get in without an ID, so the plan for my 18th was always to get my first legal drink at my first legal 18+ gig.
I thought about going to The Dev or The Black Heart, but the stuff on there didn't really interest me. By some insane fucking luck, Scizophrenia came back to London on my birthday, supporting Hellripper (who I hadn't heard of) at The Dome (which I also hadn't heard of)
Went to an Ethiopian restaurant called Engocha beforehand, reccomend it if you're ever around the area where The Dome is. Feel like I should also mention that I wore the stupidest fucking propellor hat as my friend thought it would be funny to order a drink wearing it (inside joke, trust)
Here's the lineup:
Just the 3 bands, but they were all really great. I didn't get a proper listen to Devastator before we went, so they were a really nice surprise, they were on first
Next was Scizophrenia, and I went in the mosh pit for the first time! I've always been scared to, more for my dad's sake than mine as I don't want to worry him (thanks dad for taking me). I got in a push pit, the wall thing (which I've done before, by accident), and got to help out with crowdsurfing and the circle pit more than I ever have before. I got so covered in sweat and not much of it was mine, one of the best experiences of my life tbh. Scizophrenia were fucking brilliant as always. There was a moment when they asked if we wanted a Slayer or Morbid Angel cover, and I obviously wanted Morbid Angel, but they played their Slayer cover. Thing is, their cover of Necrophilliac is so damn good (like it way more than the original), that I didn't even care that they played it instead.
Next was my first legal drink (no, that's not a band yet, free name if you want). I got the Hellripper beer because I'm a sheep (or goat since it's Hellripper?), I can't lie it didn't taste like goats or demons, just really light and fresh lager, but it was bloody nice.
Finally Hellripper! I'm slowly getting into black/thrash/speed/anything other than death/slam metal. I loved Hellripper, especially live. The riffs are really interesting and cool. Thought I was done with moshing, but I had to return to the pit for a song I liked (called Hunderprest, it's been stuck in my head ever since). In this pit, I met a very cool person who asked me if I wanted to crowdsurf. I thought about it for a bit and then decided to say yes, and I did my first ever crowdsurf! It was so fun, it felt like I was flying. I was still wearing the stupid hat, people kept spinning it and I let someone go round the circle pit with it
Unfortunately I dropped my phone when I got to the stage, but one of the musicians picked it up (THANK YOU). I slid off the stage instead of jumping, that would be scary. The best part is someone got the whole thing on video, so I've got a record of my first crowdsurf.
Got to chat a bit with Hellripper and Scizophrenia after the show. I told Scizophrenia it was my birthday and that they were the first band I ever saw live, hope I didn't make too much of a twat of myself :p
Overall it was such a brilliant night, and I'm so happy to have spent my birthday that way