KEY POINTS:
The girl on crutches legging it - near jogging pace - towards the doors of Vector Arena is a perfect example of the enthusiasm and passion New Zealand have for Disturbed.
The Chicago mainstream metallers are big here and frontman David Draiman knows it. During one of his many between song speeches, which verge on self-empowerment lectures ("Welcome to music as a weapon. This music is therapy."), he says the band owe a big debt to us.
You see, New Zealand is the only country other than the US where the band's last three albums have debuted at No 1. It gets a rowdy fist-punching cheer from the more than 6,000-strong crowd - not bad considering they play in Wellington and Christchurch too.
The thing is, what a lifeless lot Disturbed are. They create pummelling, melodic metal, and sometimes, like on Inside the Fire it's dark and merciless, but they lack energy and presence. It makes you wonder what songs like The Night, a brutal track off latest album Indestructible, would sound like with more guts.
Guitarist Dan Donegan and bass player John Moyer are static, only swapping sides of the stage occasionally. And Draiman lumbers - similar to the way he did at the Auckland Town Hall in 2006 - rather than striding and swaggering around stage, relying more on his vocal hacks and between song rants to demand respect.
He's great on the snappy and guttural notes but on the high serenading ones he is prone to warbling and yelling. Let's just say he ain't no Ronnie James Dio.
The show starts off very-Alice Cooper as Draiman gets wheeled out on a trolley like Hannibal Lecter, but it's all over in less than 30 seconds, lacking any theatrics, and therefore the desired impact. However, he saves the opening by letting rip with his trademark "ooh wah ah ah ah" growl on Perfect Insanity, a stand-out off Indestructible.
Earlier, two weak performances by international support bands Alter Bridge and P.O.D. warm the crowd up.
Although, you have to give it to Alter Bridge - the off shoot band following the split of wailing anthemic rockers Creed in 2004 - they are cocky and singer Myles Kennedy gets a crowd sing-a-long going on first song Shed My Skin.
Then rap metallers P.O.D. get a slab of the crowd jumping but they are dated and sound problems don't help.
But it was Disturbed the masses were here to see. Pity about the lack of punch.
Their cover of Genesis' Land of Confusion was an awful idea when they released it on 2005's Ten Thousand Fists and it remains awful tonight. But who am I to argue with 6,000 fist-punching fanatics?
