Live report LEMMYVERSARY: MOTÖRIZER & RHODO, Markthalle, Hamburg – December 28th, 2023

December is a month full of traditions. One of the embosomed ones is the yearly Lemmyversary show in Hamburg. Although the reason for Lemmyversary is a very sad one, the show has a constant spot in the agenda of Markthalle, Hamburg.

A few guys from Kiel, passionate for rock music in general and Motörhead in special, started with Motörizer one of the best Motörhead cover bands in Germany and beyond. That was in 2012 and it was the tragic decease of Lemmy Kilmister in 2015 that led to Lemmyversary. To honor the life and work of the iconic musician, Motörizer initiated the tribute show and it was the first anniversary of death on December 28^th, 2016, when the first show took place.

With a short intermission due to the pandemic, Lemmyversary restarted in 2022 and it is this year that gives fans a next opportunity to join the seventh edition at Markhalle, Hamburg.

A bit of bad luck is the cancellation of the opening act Zwo Eins Risiko due to illness and everybody involved reacted fast as a new special guest could be found on short notice.

Rhodo is the name of the band that jumped on board in no time. The four-piece band is rather new and was founded less than a year ago. Well-known though is frontman Sören Meyer, the bass player of Warpath with whom he was on the same stage the night before, opening for the very final Holy Moses show. Rhodo though isn’t into thrash metal. The four guys are more into hard rocking music inspired by bands like AC/DC and Creedence Clearwater Revival, all with a solid portion of 80s metal. Therefor it doesn’t surprise that with ‘Bad Moon Rising’ a cover version made it on the setlist that also features own material. Rhodo manage to get some temperature into the room, and they are reward by some clapping hands. It is the second show the guys played and of course things sound a bit rough and with edges, but tonight is a great chance for the quartet to warm-up for their headliner show in January 5^th, 2024 at Marx, the small room of Markthalle.

Time for the band most people came for – Motörizer. Martin, Peter and Plug start with ‘Doctor Rock’ into the night and the atmosphere at the venue changed from good to party within a minute. No doubt, the great music of Motörhead is what every enjoys tonight. But it is more than that. Motörizer manage the balancing act of delivering a Motörhead-inspired show while at the same time not becoming a simple copycat. The little speeches, the voice and the style of singing from Martin Simon, it all reminds of Motörhead and it is always an own identity that give Motörizer the needed own trademark – also tonight.

All the classics like ‘Ace of Spades’, Iron Fist’, ‘Orgasmatron’,… fill the room tonight. But Motörizer also play songs which they didn’t perform a year ago. ‘I Got Mine’ from the controversially discussed ‘Another Perfect Day’-album is performed tonight and with ‘Hellraiser’ a special moment happens. The ‘Iron Man’- intro announces a surprise as with Henning Wanner a guest joins the trio on stage. Since 2018, Wanner is running with OZZYfied a Ozzy Osbourne cover band and tonight it is ‘Hellraiser’ which brings together the Motörhead heritage and the voice of the Prince of Darkness. Such a combination on stage lifts the party atmosphere to next level incl. an increasing temperature.

Motörizer performs one and a half hours and entertains with songs that are milestones in rock. It is music from fans for fans and everybody tonight feels certain that Lemmy Kilmister looked down from the metal cloud and feels great seeing what Lemmyversary delivers year by year.