Live Review : Frog Leap @ Rebellion, Manchester on April 17th 2019

I feel like I live in Rebellion.

I genuinely thought I wouldn't make it to Manchester tonight. As someone who is all about the fun side of metal, Frog Leap have been on my list for a little while. And why not? Leo Moracchioli is famed for his interesting take on pop music and someone I admire hugely, having had my own musical act a number of years ago where I exclusively covered metal and grunge on a piano (think a less talented Tori Amos and you're bang on the money). The creativity needed to envision a popular song in an entirely different genre is nothing short of genius, and I was keen to witness his appearance in Manchester tonight.

Of course... ROCKFLESH had no confirmation of our press pass.

Not until 80 minutes prior to doors opening.

What ensued between 5pm and 7pm was something of a blur, given that I have no money, no gig clothes, no transport... I split a contact lens in half in my eye whilst rushing to get ready. Yummy! So I'm in my glasses and about 99% sure i smell like a yak after work. Oh Rebellion, you lucky lucky people.

Fast forward to 7.20pm and I make it to Rebellion, and walk in to deadly silence. Yes, the gig is sold out but there's sweet FA going on in here right now. Have i missed a support? Has it been like this since 6pm? It's all a mystery.

At 7.30pm they start playing music. It's my perfect playlist, bouncing through Slipknot, Limp Bizkit, Korn. The crowd is incredibly mixed with people from all walks of metal here. Even some familiar faces from my old Krazyhouse days have made the trip here.

Frog Leap take the stage with a guy dressed up as a giant rabbit and a metal cover of Prokofiev’s ‘Montagues and Capulets’. The crowd are mental for Leo and his crew as they launch into LMFAO’s ‘Party Rock Anthem’. I notice immediately that the balance is off between vocals and instruments, but fair play to the tech guys, it doesn't last for long.

The Giant Rabbit is in and out of the crowd whilst Frog Leap launch through a delicious set  of ‘Feel Good Inc’, ‘Uptown Funk’ and ‘Genie in A Bottle’. It's cheesey as Hell, but in all the right ways and the audience cannot contain themselves.

Do you want to hear a metal imagining of the Ghostbusters theme?

He played it.

Do you want to see a grown man boxing a giant bunny to the sounds of ‘Eye of the Tiger’?

He did that.

Do you want to hear THE best cover of ‘Zombie’ by The Cranberries?

Sorry Bad Wolves, but Leo owns that too.

Basically if you are a band hoping to stick your own unique spin on a non metal song, you should check that it's not already on one of Frog Leap’s 20+ albums.

The end of the gig  (which is a cover of ‘Hello’ by Adele in case anybody cares) seems to come all too quickly but then I look at my notes and realise - they've played  18 songs and I've been dancing like a grade A knob for all of them.

It’s over far too quickly for my liking.

On a more technical note, the sound tonight has fallen incredibly short in certain points of the set, most notably through their take on Lady Gaga’s ‘Poker Face’. Maybe the monitors weren't right which has caused the vocals to go off key at times, but all in all its a minor criticism of an otherwise fabulous gig.

Bonus of it finishing before 10pm is I can drink lots of water before passing out watching Brooklyn 99 and I can pretend in work tomorrow that I am a functioning human being.

Frog Leap – highly recommended if you like fun.

You all like fun......... don't you?

Photography by Paul Nash of Rebel Rock Photography