Weymouth Pavillion
You know a show is a sell out when you see the police worriedly scurrying around the venue as doors open to ensure the Pavilion isn’t set to burst. There’s good reason behind this, as the queues tail off into the distance of the seaside backdrop, everyone is here for one reason; Skindred. Championed by many as one of the best live bands on the planet, Hourglass Promotions have truly got hold of what could be one of the most explosive nights that Weymouth has ever seen.
Opening the ever filling venue was old school metallers Huron, who can be summed up as one of those bands who have got to this stage due to their resilient character rather than their material. Front man Palmer gets credit for his valiant efforts in orchestrating some early energy from the crowd, but the bands generic metal starts to bore me as there isn’t a sniff of originality in the air. I’m not saying they were poor, far from it, but they need to remember that the last thing this scene needs is another band attempting to replicate their genre’s superiors.
It’s a hard life as an upcoming alternative metal band nowadays, but there’s been a flash of hope for them with bands like Korn, Limp Bizkit, and Deftones dominating the big stages. The question is; where are the newcomers to take their place? Well one example are here tonight in Weymouth, as Idiom execute their fresh nu metal sound with an explosive support set. Front man, Matt Sharland demonstrates his vocal qualities through edgy flow in the verses, vigorous growls and soaring choruses. It’s refreshing to see a band proving that rap logistics and and metal roots can work so emphatically when executed to the extent of the likes of Rage Against The Machine. Make sure you download their new single ëBrain Deadí for free, it’s an absolute bombshell and provided the most convincing piece of evidence that this band are set for bigger things.
It’s a fact that no matter how impressed you are by a band, Skindred always manage to upstage them to a degree which is almost unnatural. As the thundering angst of opener “Roots Rock Riot” orchestrates utter chaos, Benjii Webbe shows just how easy he makes being the front man in the best band in Britain look. Skindred don’t only back their sound with buckets of energy and fluency in their performance, but their set is comprised of nonstop anthems. They also don’t mess about with their material, as every song has the crowd singing and moving like the world’s going to end next week (yeah, right). The enormous riffs of Mikey Demus catalyse Benjii’s endless enthusiasm to reach new levels from previous times Iíve seen them. It’s obvious that the Weymouth crowd have given them a special time as well, as the genuine excitement in their performance mirrors the ecstatic atmosphere in the pit. Finishing on “Warning”, the shared expressions of disbelief turn to joy as Benjii stays on stage to lovingly bid the crowd farewell.
It’s official; Skindred are the best live band on the planet (in my opinion, obviously). Despite only being twenty years old, I have seen tonnes and tonnes of bands and Skindred manage to blow them away every time. It’s hard work and originality that makes Skindred as special as they are, so let’s pray they keep tearing the roofs of venues for years to come.
Set-List
20th Centry Fox Theme/Star Wars Imperial March
Roots Rock Riot
Rat Race
Stand For Something
Doom Riff
Trouble (Inc. Metallica “Sad But True”)
World Domination
Cut Dem
Pressure (In AC/DC “Black in Black”)
Destroy
Nobody
Babylon
Wonderful Christmas Time (Paul McCartney)
Duality Dubstep Remix (Slipknot )
Warning
Videos
More Videos from this gig can be found on our Youtube site here.
Band Links
https://www.facebook.com/skindredofficial
http://www.idiomofficial.co.uk
http://www.huron-uk.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
Words by George “Where’s My Review???” Fullerton
Photos & Videos by Dave “George wants his review” Chinery (Chinners)
Mega Excitement by Casey “I want to read Georges Review” Fullerton
