The Rescue Rooms, Nottingham
After my last encounter with The Blackout, I feared that they might be reaching the nadir of their history, but following the release of new EP “Wolves”, the band have rejuvenated their reputation as Wales’ finest export and there is now an air of excitement as to how this will affect their live shows.
Fellow Welsh warriors When We Were Wolves have been building momentum on their exciting new release “Heartless” in recent months and this tour could well be their chance to unlock their full potential. Fearlessly entering in full force, the band expertly showcase their aggressive anthems, fusing melodic post hardcore and brutish breakdowns to supply an impressive opening to the night. Their tight and powerful display coincides with front man Mitch Bock’s crushing screams and soaring cleans to create an unrelenting, yet highly melodic sound to dwarf the majority in their genre. Their closing anthem ‘Hounds’ hints at a blindingly bright future for this outfit, whose emphatic quality shone throughout their unfortunately short performance. Look out for this band; they are set to take over our airwaves.
Tonight’s main support comes in the form of Yashin, who have brushed off the cobwebs of the last few years to breathe new life into their material. They seem to have new life in their presence, as the band seem ecstatic to be back in front of larger crowds and manage to translate this enthusiasm into a display of fighting spirit and animalistic energy. Although their front man Harry Radford’s stage presence could be interpreted as rather cringey and arrogant at times, this doesn’t stop the band from exerting a fierce display through their pounding riffs and infectious choruses. It seems that fresh material from their upcoming record, such as lead single “D.E.A.D.” shows a new found maturity to their song-writing and sees Radford and his vocal partner Kevin Miles firing on all cylinders throughout. They will be well and truly in control of venues like this once their new release hits the press, but tonight it seems that they are merely treading the water in comparison to what they will be achieving next year. One thing is certain though; it’s a good time to be Yashin.
Finally, the time has come for The Blackout to show Nottingham what they’re made of once again. Luckily, it’s a night that will leave everyone who doubted their credibility feeling foolish, as the breathtaking “Wolves and Liars” from their new EP show that they have revitalised their prowess and passion in their live performances. Their distinguished quality largely stems from the combination of Gavin Butler’s impeccable vocal ability, alongside Sean Smith’s piercing screams and flamboyantly humorous stage presence, but their instrumental delivery and endlessly captivating material leaves you questioning where the cracks are in their live shows. Smith even manages to climb the bar at the back of the venue…and then the balcony, to demonstrate just how easily they place the audience into the palm of their hands. It’s an all killer, no filler situation, as the band throw everything they’ve got into each song to prove that their next record will be highly anticipated this time round.
Following some tough times in recent years, it seems that this outfit have rediscovered their form and prove tonight that there’s every reason to be excited for their future. It’s a display of pure class, laden with their typically dopey, yet endearing humour and a set list of consistently exciting quality. Let’s hope that their next release sees them reaching a new peak in their time-line and delivering to this extent on stages much larger than this. The Blackout have created something truly special over their time as a band, so it would be a travesty if they didn’t manage to top what they have already achieved. Personally, I can see them returning next year stronger than ever.
Set list (The Blackout)
Wolves
I’m a Riot? You’re a Fucking Riot!
This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things
Liars
Children of the Night
Prepare for a Wound
The Storm
Ambition Is Critical
Pieces
Hope (Scream It Out Loud)
Top of the World
Said & Done
Start the Party
Higher & Higher
Shut The FuckUppercut
Save Our Selves (The Warning)
Links
http://www.theblackout.net/
https://www.facebook.com/theblackoutband
https://www.facebook.com/theyashin
https://www.facebook.com/whenwewerewolves1
Words by George Fullerton
Photos by Ashley Green of Ideal Film
