Live Review : Skynd @ The Deaf Institute, Manchester on February 19th 2022

Also featuring a brief history on murder, death, and serial killers– those with a nervous disposition are advised not to read on…

“Come to a gig with freshly pierced nipples” they said. “You'll be fine” they said. I think they were telling porkies. I go to the gig anyway. I am a well-known local idiot after all, and I've battled through train cancellations and stormy weather to join the crowd for a performance by the ever eerie and utterly captivating Skynd.

Rather than a support we're treated to a thrilling look at some real life footage surrounding Skynd’s one and only subject – murder. I hope he doesn’t mind me name dropping him, but this went down like a lead balloon with our photographer Gregg, but I didn’t feel the same. With a Netflix watch list full of true crime and serial killer documentaries, I stood transfixed for the entire hour as various images of news footage and interviews flooded the screen, alongside some pretty horrific dramatized clips of an actor painting himself up the way John Wayne Gacy would whilst screaming and laughing at the camera. It’s unsettling. 

John Wayne Gacy was an American man who murdered at least 33 young men and boys. He was also known for performing as a birthday clown, sometimes named Pogo, sometimes Patches. Gacy often lured victims to his house by promising to show them a magic trick. Once inside, he would often restrain them, rape them, and strangle them to death. Gacy was executed via lethal injection in 1994. 

Having no support band in lieu of this incredible dark film was an entirely effective way of setting the tone for the evening. As the hour between doors and music ticked on, very low bass noises would be pumped into the room, vibrating up the back of my spine and creating an atmosphere of dread, as opposed to the usual pre gig sing along after a few pints. Footage from Columbine is projected across the screen; text messages from Michelle Carter are too. 

In April 1999, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold walked into Columbine High School and murdered 12 students and 1 teacher, before subsequently shooting themselves. They were hoping to murder many more, but their home made bombs that had been placed around the school failed to detonate. 

Michelle Carter was found guilty of the involuntary manslaughter of her boyfriend Conrad Roy. Roy had mental health problems and had spoke for some time of his intention to kill himself. He went on to poison himself with carbon monoxide at Carters encouragement. 

It’s incredibly rare for me to attend a gig and take no notes. I’m usually scribbling, or typing into my phones notepad. I didn’t write a single thing all evening, awestruck by what I would wtiness. 

This isn’t my first time seeing Skynd; the duo came onto my radar in 2018 and I was lucky enough to watch their set at Download 2019. For those unfamiliar, the duo (compromising of front woman Skynd and multi-instrumentalist Father) write industrial style music about true crime.

There are a few technical hiccups as they open with Richard Ramirez, Skynd’s microphone isn’t switched on and there’s an unmistakable thud and feedback when the sound finally comes through the speakers, but by the time they move onto ‘Elisa Lam’ the technical hitch is long forgotten. Sadly, there are problems later on in the set with ‘Columbine’, with the backing seemingly just cutting out for no reason. The band handled it like pros, there was a twitch of a smile on Skynd’s lips as she glanced back to Father, before going back to the beginning of the song. 

Richard Ramirez was known as the Night Stalker, a drug addict who would often break into peoples homes and murder them viciously before burglarizing them to fund his habit. He was handed 19 death sentences for 13 murders, but passed away from Lymphoma whilst awaiting execution on death row. 

Elisa Lams death has been a long time mystery after her body was pulled from a water tank on top of Stay on Main Hotel in Los Angeles. Although the official ruling was Elisa was suffering from Bipolar Disorder and wasn’t taking her medication as prescribed which had led to her accidentally drowning in the tank, many have speculated that there is something far more sinister involved with Lams death, and video footage of her acting strangely in a lift before her disappearance may point to someone following her.

Skynd’s voice is absolutely incredible; she flawlessly switches between two very different sounding tones. Dark and menacing becomes childlike and sweet in a mere moment, and every movement she makes looks like some invisible puppet master is pulling her strings for their own sadistic pleasure. It’s completely enchanting. There’s a moment once she’s finished singing Chris Watts where I’m not sure if her tears are genuine or purely for the show. 

Chris Watts murdered his pregnant wife and 2 young daughters in August 2018. It was revealed Watts had a mistress. At the time of her death, Watts wife Shanann was found to have oxycontin in her system, a drug Watts had been poisoning her with in an attempt to get her to miscarry her baby. Watts wanted to be with his mistress ultimately and believed ending his wife’s pregnancy would make that easier. When he failed, he ended his family’s lives instead. 

This is the first time I’ve had the opportunity to hear any of the Chapter 2 songs performed live, and nothing disappoints me. In fact, the whole set flies by in what seems to be an instant. We get 13 songs, ending with the energetic Tyler Hadley and finally my personal favourite Skynd song, Gary Heidnik.

At the age of 17, Tyler Hadley bludgeoned and stabbed his mother and father to death in their Florida home. After this seemingly random act of violence, Hadley threw a huge house party. He went on to show one of his friends a bloodstained master bedroom. Due to his age, Hadley could not be handed the death penalty, but has been sentenced to life in prison, with the possibility of parole. 

Gary Heidnik raped and tortured 6 women, killing 2 of them at 3520 North Marshall Street in Philadelphia. His crimes were particularly gruesome after it was alleged he chopped up and cooked one of his victims. He put some of her limbs in the freezer and labelled them “dog food”. He was executed via lethal injection in 1999. 

I came away from the gig not feeling like I usually would after watching a band. This was more of an immersive experience than a concert. Every detail has been so carefully crafted, so much thought has gone into every aspect of the performance, and the talent they have leapt so forcefully off the stage tonight there were moments it took my breath away. 

If you are fan of anything that borders on theatrical, or you like your electro to be tinged with something a little darker, I really recommend getting yourself well acquainted with this band. I have no doubts they will be back on much bigger stages at some point in the near future, and I am excited to see where they take us next on this ever twisted and fascinating journey. 

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