"The next band, City Of Thieves, announce themselves offstage with a low drone and stride on to huge applause - obviously these guys are better known to this crowd, preaching to the already converted. Well, they have been around for three years now, and a bit more under their previous moniker Four Wheel Drive. C.O.T. are one of those rare beasts - the Metal power trio. Well, OK, apart from Motorhead. There’s probably some more. Anyway, they’re immediately great. The songs have a sheen of polish that reminded me of 'Load' period Metallica which is no bad thing. Indeed, on one of guitarist Ben Austwick’s Marshall speaker cabinets the word “Marshall” has been turned into “Lars”. Coincidence? Accident? You decide." That was part of Pete Elphick's take on City Of Thieves' Shepherd's Bush Empire, London, gig last Friday (pictured), and you can read the rest of Pete's Blind River + Inglorious gig review here plus check out Bruce Biege's Photo Gallery today here.