Beartooth were once the gritty and gnarly bastions of wearing your heart on your sleeve, but have reached such a point of success that they have become a slick mainstage alt-rock band for all. We’re promised the wildest night ever by frontman Caleb Shomo and, together with the superb Landmvrks and Polaris, it’s not such an outlandish claim.
Read MoreAll the bands tonight share something in common – they are very difficult to pigeonhole. No doubt it is that eclectic nature that has led to them being found on the same bill. Headliners Don Broco have embraced that sometimes poisoned chalice of being unashamedly unique and genre non-specific, in turn they’ve risen to heights that we could only dream of when first seeing them debut their video for ‘Hold On’ on ScuzzTV over ten years ago.
Read Moret’s been a while since I’ve been along to a gig at O2 Victoria Warehouse, so it's good to get my bearings again before Radar Festival is held here later this month. Whilst it’s sometimes reassuring for things to remain the same, I’ve got to say with this venue it’s not that great a trait. As usual while the photographers get direct access, the reviewers have to queue up with everyone else (not even affording us O2 priority access). What it means is it's a race against the clock and a 30min queue to get in for the opening support band. That’s not a great scenario for us or them I’d suggest.
Read MoreThis is only my second time here at O2 Victoria Warehouse and I arrive just as UK heavy metal act Employed to Serve begin their set. This five-piece were formed in 2011 and with five studio albums under their belt, supporting the mighty Gojira on this tour must be a dream come true. They are noisy, angry and in your face, so they complement the rest of tonight’s line-up.
Read MoreAustralian Punk-Folk band The Rumjacks were the first band of the evening I managed to catch. They were the perfect band to open for the Dropkick Murphys, paying homage to their iconic celtic folk sound, whilst adding their own twist to this formula. Vocalist Mike Rivkees offered gnarly punk vocals in between providing backing pennywhistle performances to add that folk element to the pretty basic, yet by no means weak punk that was being played behind him.
Read MoreIt seems bizarre to say this about a band that has been around for over two decades and has 10 albums to their name, but there is a distinct impression after all these years that Trivium are still having to prove their worth. That great white hope tag that they had thrust upon them in the early noughties has proven to be one hell of an albatross and at the point where they should be settling comfortably into the status of elder statesman, they are still having to dispel the naysayers.
Read MoreIt’s my first time reviewing at Victoria Warehouse, although I’ve seen plenty of stuff here as a punter, and as I join the long queue there’s plenty of anticipation for the great night of varied metal ahead. I catch our photographer Ryan before he’s able to use his photo pass to duck the queue (damn him!), but actually everyone is chatty and in high spirits for the night ahead despite having to stand around in the cold with COVID passports at the ready.
Read MoreMachine Head are the ultimate metal survivors. Each time we think they are down and out, they get back up again, dust themselves off and re-enter the fray. In the mid-noughties it looked like they were outdated and out of ideas but then they returned with “The Blackening”, still one of the best metal albums of this century. This time last year it looked like once again Machine Head were over. Robb Flynn on Facebook dramatically announced that Phil Demmel and Dave McClain had left the band and for a while it seemed that was that. However twelve months later here they are again selling out the 5,000 capacity Victoria Warehouse.
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