Weymouth Pavillion
Unfortunately due to the typical nature of cars to breakdown when they’re needed, I was only able to catch the last three bands of the night…oh well, it’s not the end of the world (#badjoke). The concept of an extended lineup can sometimes exacerbate the atmosphere of a venue, meaning that the fluctuating crowd numbers can potentially limit the experience for the bands. Luckily, the passion of the pulsating Weymouth scene continues to surge brightly following an unbelievable performance from Skindred on Sunday.
As I entered to the raw power of Bastions, who were knee deep into their set; it’s immediately apparent that their ecstatic blend of punk and hardcore complimented the apocalyptic expectations afoot. Despite their occasionally sloppy execution instrumentally, the sing-along for their final song definitely boosted the experience of their set, as fans were begged to climb onstage and let their lungs take charge. Its bands with the raw power of Bastions that keep the hardcore scene engaged with new twists, but some tightening of their sound will be required in order for their power to translate to the levels of their superiors.
Taking the main support for tonightís long running order is uprising punk rock crusaders, Max Raptor; whose uplifting punk rock infused anthems have seen them boast outstanding praise from the UK press and earned them a slot on the BBC Introducing stage at Reading and Leeds Festival this year. After what seemed like a slow start for the Midlanders, the crowdís initial static energy eventually evolved into a sweaty cocktail of bounding aggression. It’s certainly closing anthem “The King is Dead” which takes the plaudits as their setís key highlight, but their attempt to transform a crowd surfer into the baby Jesus; by ensuring that he was carried in a wicker basket was truly superb and soberingly original. Once their debut album is released in 2013, this band could be soaring higher than the imaginary expectations of the Mayans.
It felt slightly odd seeing two punk rock upcomers when the next band was far from that description. In a world dominated by carbon copies, it’s bands like Bury Tomorrow which make metalcore one of the most exciting genres known to man, as their exceptional ability to fuse soaring melodies and crushing breakdowns allows them to ripen the pallet of even the more narrow minded crowds. It’s songs like “Lionheart” and “An Honourable Reign” which show off their potency when it comes to utter brutality. Their sound is achieved mainly through their eclectic melodies along with the emphatic screams of front man, Daniel Winter Bates which blend majestically with the soaring styles of guitarist Jason Cameron. Their genre may be fairly constricting with regards to the boundaries of their song structures being fairly minimal, but as they end on the hard hitting anthem “Royal Blood”, the undeniable force of this band proves that they are at the top of their game.
It’s been a short but fantastic night for me, and as I reminisce on the moment where we didn’t die (for the millionth time) due to bewildering theories; I know that I would have died happy if my last moments alive were spent throwing down to a prime example of metalcore madness. It’s been said by Kerrang that Bury Tomorrow are one of the top bands to look out for next year, and I can proudly say that Rock Regeneration back this prediction, as this band are the UKís masters of metalcore and will soon spread themselves like a virus across the globe.
Band Links
http://www.burytomorrow.co.uk
http://www.facebook.com/maxraptor
http://www.bastions.bandcamp.com/
NOTE: Please support the Weymouth Pavilion from extinction by following this link. If you want more shows like this in Weymouth then your help could be vital to their survival…
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Save-The-Pavilion/462507980480253
http://www.hourglasspromo.co.uk
Review By George “Fashionably Late” Fullerton.
