Holding Absence have made it clear that the opening slot on their UK Tour will be reserved for some of the finest up and coming local talent that the UK has to offer. It would be a true once in a lifetime opportunity for these smaller bands to be able to open for a name such as Holding Absence, and this is a model that is both extremely commendable and should be implemented by other bands on the scene. Maybank was given the job of representing Liverpool in this slot. Maybank incorporated a mixture of pop punk and alternative with slivers of Britpop and the occasional nod to grunge for good measure. Halfway into the set, it was mentioned that Maybank’s original vocalist was ill and that they were instead using a stand in vocalist. I had a great level of respect for how they handled this adversity, even if at some points, the vocals were somewhat struggling under the weight of the music behind him. Whilst I was unaware of the vocal style of the bands original vocalist, it was still a top notch effort to make sure that the band still had their time in the spotlight opening for Holding Absence as opposed to letting their slot disappear from their hands – so I can give nothing but credit to them in this respect.

Sometimes a band comes along in which it is irrelevant to pigeonhole them to any particular genre. Australia’s Void of Vision are definitely one of these bands. Combining an impressive blend of Hardcore, Electronic, Industrial, Nu Metal, among many others, Void of Vision truly were a band that transcends genre boundaries and has an appeal to almost everyone in attendance. From the get go, Void of Vision were high intensity, covering every inch of the tiny stage, working up the crowd who were completely receptive to their exceptional blend. Vocalist Jack Bergin was the vessel that carried these genre shifts with his unique vocal styles that at times reminded me of Trent Reznor, others of Brian Molko all stitched together with an impressive range of screams and gutturals. It truly was a unique vocal performance that paid homage to the band's vast array of influences.

Aside from their exceptional technical prowess, Void of Vision know how to work a crowd. Front to back every single person was held tightly in the palm of their hand, acting on every single request of energy, ensuring that they made their opinion of Void of Vision truly known. This was a true masterclass on warming the crowd up ready for the night’s headliners, and by the end of their set, I'm more than certain that Void of Vision made many new fans this evening, myself included. Bergin mentioned that due to being based in Australia, the band don’t often get the chance to tour these shores, however I'm more than certain that next time they are over here, they will be welcomed with open arms.

15 years ago, it seemed like Wales was producing top quality bands as if it was going out of fashion. Bands such as Funeral For A Friend, The Blackout, Bullet For My Valentine & Kids In Glass Houses absolutely dominated the scene for years during this golden era for Welsh Music. Fast Forward to 2023 and it seems that Cardiff’s Holding Absence are the next band to be handed the baton of Wales’s next best thing. Formed in 2017, Holding Absence have gone from strength to strength and have an upwards trajectory that other bands could only dream of having.

Following their critically acclaimed 2021 Album, “The Greatest Mistake of My Life”, Holding Absence have developed a devout following, highlighted by the fact that almost every show of the band's 16 date UK Tour has sold out. Opening with ;Monochrome; from their 2019 self-titled Album, it is easy to see why the demand for these tickets were so high. Vocalist Lucas Woodland is an absolute powerhouse on the mic, conducting the fully sold-out Liverpool O2 Academy 2 with his natural showmanship whilst simultaneously belting out some of the finest pop punk choruses of the past 5 or so years. Every song performed tonight is infectious, and even those unititated in the band’s work (of which there were few) were relaying these choruses back to the band by the time each song was ending. The fact that a band with only two full releases into their career can embark on what is essentially a greatest hits tour is a testament to their impeccable song writing ability. Bands could only dream of having songs such as ‘Birdcage’, ‘Afterlife’, ‘Beyond Belief’ & ‘Wilt’ under their belt, so it is truly staggering that Holding Absence have this type of caliber in their discography so soon into their careers. Transposing these songs onto the live stage only adds to their impact and it is apparent from the reaction from both Woodland and the rest of the band, that even they are taken aback from how well their music is going down.

What Holding Absence brought to the stage in their 70-minute set was just all killer, no filler, pop punk bangers. Every song hit just as hard as the one before it and it was incredibly hard to find fault in anything that the band did, no matter how hard I tried to look. By the time the band performed their final number, ‘Wilt’, it became massively obvious that the capacity crowd in Liverpool were witnessing something special. ‘Wilt’ is an exceptional piece of music and acted as the bands statement piece, showing everything they had to offer. Woodland's signature crushing vocals were complimented by a haunting symphony of guitar tones, kept together tightly by a consistently excellent rhythm section. The heart wrenching chorus turns this song into a ballad of epic proportions that would tug at anyone's heartstrings, whilst inspiring an intense feeling of awe at the same time.

This show had the characteristics of being an “I was there” moment when those in attendance reflect upon it in the years to come. With main stage appearances at Slam Dunk Festival as well as a prominent billing at 2000 Trees, Holding Absence are destined to have an absolutely massive 2023 and I wouldn’t be surprised if the next time the band embark on a tour, they will be performing in venues two or three times the size of the somewhat intimate Liverpool O2 Academy2.

Check the “In The Flesh” page for more photos!

Holding Absence, Void Of Vision, Maybank