Thought it was time to write a new blog, and where better to start than a live gig review. That's right, I do leave the house. So, in true adventurer style, I braved the wild and tempestuous streets of Wakefield, Yorkshire last night to go see All We Know supported by Lifescreen and More Than You'll Ever Know at The Hop.
Perhaps for me, the greatest thing about the night was it being a major trip down memory lane, meeting up with lots of old college friends, drinking one too many Strongbows and some inappropriate touching of small ginger people. However, I digress, onto the serious business.
Lifescreen kicked off the events at The Hop, with nice meaty riffs, a bassist reminiscent of Fieldy from Korn and drummer with a penchant for double kick. The Leeds trio's set was solid as a rock, smacking you in the face with Stoner riffs and chest quaking bass riffs. Something which I really love seeing is when other band members than the vocalist are singing along, it seems to show a pride in the lyrics and bare bones of the bands songs, and Bassist Chris Unwin was singing his dreaded heart out along with Mark Burrows, whilst Andy Richards on drums was completely lost in the music, his face one of equal parts concentration and pleasure! If you were there and you missed them, more fool you. If you'd like to here more of there stuff or you missed them, head here and download yourself their music for free. Do it. Stand out song from them of the evening was definitely "Opting Out", a titanic riff complete with soaring chorus. See the video right there ^^^^
Second on the bill were 'More Than You'll Ever Know" and unfortunately, I have a confession to make, I missed the majority of their set, getting drunk and touching said ginger small people. What I did hear was extremely tight and well written, however not my cup of tea. That said, check them out here and let me know what you think!
Finally, we come to All We Know, an emerging talent from the mean streets of Wakefield. After having to cancel a gig at The Cockpit in Leeds due to illness, AWK were ready to show their fans just what they've got, and indeed they did. With crowd favourites "Circles", "We Right The Failures" and "Before We Fall" being pumped out at a pulse increasing velocity, AWK really gave it their all. Chris Barrand gave his all on vocals, his lyrics weaving a melodic tapestry punctuated with visceral screams of darkness and despair. Tom Barrand and Lee Horner on guitars blended their sometimes haunting and beautiful, sometimes dirty and heavy harmonies sublimely. This combined with Liam Rothery and Tom Parkes on Bass and Drums respectively provided a force to be reckoned with, Liam's bass drove the proceedings forward with Tom's drums adding crescendo and a solid back bone to the bands sound, which if I was asked to describe would be a mixture of Incubus and Killswitch Engage. Their song mastery and stage presence has earned them a place at the newly established "Crooked Ways" festival being held at Pontefract Park, Pontefract West Yorks in the summer, and boy do they deserve it. Again, for me, stand out song was "Before We Fall" AWK's soaring finisher, heavy with a lifting chorus and fine melody that dances round your head like a sprite, weaving a tale of confusion, a longing for an answer and the fear of a relationship breaking down. Something I'm sure all of us can relate to. Look out for All We Know, no doubt they will emerge as perhaps a flagship band for the Wakefield area and plant it firmly on the rock map. Watch the video for "We Right The Failures" belooooooow!
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