On Saturday I embarked on an adventure-style trip to Johannesburg on the High Five Party Bus to watch Asking Alexandria and Facing The Gallows perform at the Nasrec Exhibition Centre in Johannesburg. I have to admit that the trip to Johannesburg was a lot of fun because I finally got to experience Rumors Lounge in Weltevreden Park. And yes, it was a lot of fun, R29 Cheese Burgers and R20 Brandys and Coke don’t grow on trees in Jozi.
Here’s my experience of the Asking Alexandria show in Johannesburg
We arrived at the venue around 6:30 PM and car barred a bit outside the entrance in the parking lot. And of course this was made somewhat more pleasant by Divan and Juan (from The Grind Radio) jamming some Asking Alexandria kliphard on their car stereos. Entering the venue wasn’t a huge hassle and we finally walked into the Hangar just before 8 PM.
I have to say that the bar service was pretty quick, but the downside was that I could not find a single vendor that sold cigarettes at the venue – with only 7 ciggies left in my pack, this proved to be a “timing the smokes” game of note, but I managed (thanks to Divan and Mike for the smokes that they bummed me).
The music kicked off just after 8 PM with local boys Facing The Gallows playing one of the best shows that I’ve seen them play. I have to say that my eardrums received a pounding of note, but I was pretty damn impressed by these okes and their pretty lively stage presence. After a half an hour wait backstage in the media area, Asking Alexandria made their way on the stage, lead singer with a bottle of Jack Daniels in hand and all.
They kicked off their set with a lively tune or two and before you knew it some of the ladies were setting the twins free and flinging their bras on stage. I couldn’t see the full extent of the “Wall of death” forming behind the barrier, but it might have been that I was somewhat distracted by the presence of boobs. There was never a dull moment during Asking Alexandria’s set and I must say that even though I only know three songs by them, I gained a ton of respect for their live performance skills. These boys know how to get a party started. I was thoroughly impressed and the metal hungry crowd was not disappointed.
Here are some photos that I took of Asking Alexandria. You can view my full album on the Henno Kruger Photography page on Facebook.
What did you think of Asking Alexandria? Did you enjoy the show? Leave a comment and let me know what you think. Feedback is appreciated and welcome here. If you’ve enjoyed reading my review and viewing these photos, feel free to share this article with your friends on Facebook and Twitter. Remember: Sharing is Caring after all.
Watch this space for regular updates in the Photography category on Running Wolf’s Rant.
Like what you just read? Join The Wolf Pack! Subscribe To Our Newsletter.
Explore our website, check out our Featured Articles or scroll down to see the articles that are related to this article below. We've been around since 2008, so there's plenty of content.
If you're in South Africa and looking for something to do, check out The SA Gig Guide (on our sister site SA Music Zone).
If getting more knowledge is part of your DNA - Check out the latest posts on Interesting Facts.