Rob Zombie @ O2 Academy, 20 Feb

Skindred are an exceptionally apt choice for supporting Mr Zombie tonight; both acts have inimitable frontmen, both have an impressive live track record, and both bring that same party vibe to any venue. Skindred may not have Rob’s budget, but they do have Benji Webbe, a vocalist with a bewildering style, soulful and frantic often within seconds of each other. He might not be the poster boy for British metal yet, but he should be, a master showman who can prompt a mass robot dance during Destroy the Dancefloor then make support act history by actually inciting a successful pit. And during a new song to boot!

No matter how good they may be, though, tonight's about Rob Zombie's first Scottish show in 12 years. Ten-foot robots and ghouls wander to and fro on stage, plumes of flame intermittently blasting from torches all while Rob hops from platform to platform singing songs of American dreams, nightmares and sleaze. Let’s not forget the huge backdrop screens, releasing a constant torrent of hentai, 70s flesh flicks and even his own glorious Werewolf Women of the SS trailer.

These morbidly hypnotic scenes merely colour the senses while Rob himself bombards them, an entertainer in the truest sense of the word. Inciting frenzies with the riotous Scum of the Earth and the decadent strip-club rock of Never Gonna Stop, it’s obvious that even after being away from Scottish venues for 13 years, he sure hasn’t been forgotten. It’s treat after treat here, even extending to a version of White Zombie’s Thunderkiss ’65 that simply annihilates any meagre preconceptions the crowd may have, possibly due to the excessively indulgent guitar solo inserted not-too-subtly in the mix. With a spirited encore of Dragula, this night can be summed up most elegantly in Rob's own words: rock, motherfucker! [David Bowes]