Pacifier: Live

By RUSSELL BAILLIE

(Herald rating: * * * *)

It starts with that most worrying of rock'n'roll statements: "Hamilton, we're going to have a good time tonight ... ." The "Shihad-Shihad-Shihad" crowd chant gets soon swamped out by You Again's jackhammer riff, and then, mate, it just goes off.

Such is this double live album from our own name-changed monsters of rock, recorded with punch and clarity at various stops during their August-September New Zealand tour. Yes, it's a pity that at this stage in their career — the songs stretch back to the debut album of 13 years ago — it wasn't Live at Budokan or some other foreign enormo-dome. But, as the frequent singalong bits here show, locally, Shihad/Pacifier gigs have something of a community event feeling about them. And with this album which neatly reconciles their more metallish past (Derail, Screwtop) with their big-chorus present (Comfort Me, Everything), you can now share those good vibes with the entire neighbourhood.

Label: Warner