The Fleece welcomed back rowdy
UK punk five-piece Gallows to their fine venue some 16 months after their last performance
there, the band having undergone some considerable and ground-shaking changes,
in particular the addition of brand new frontman Wade MacNeil following
talisman Frank Carter’s decision to leave the fold for pastures new with
musical project Pure Love. Former Alexisonfire guitarist MacNeil has cast
doubters to the wind with his vocals on last year’s EP ‘Death Is Birth’ and the
recent self-titled album. While it was most definitely a different Gallows that
appeared on stage at The Fleece, it was a band with a renewed hunger and energy
for live shows, a point needing to be proved for anybody who wanted to remove
them from their throne upon the UK hardcore scene.
The whole night felt like it
was going to be a huge one, and right from the get-go, the sheer volume and
passion from the bands on stage grabbed the attention of everybody and refused
to let go. Brotherhood of the Lake opened the show with 30 minutes of dark,
doom-fuelled riffs, their understated performance working the crowd into a
swaying frenzy. The dark songs and bleak lyrics combine in a way that is quite
compelling to watch, and some of the tracks from latest release ‘Desperation Is
The English Way Vol. 1’ hit hard. A highlight from the set is ‘Black Hearts’
which cuts through the distortion with a hook that’s quite anthemic, something
BOTL don’t seem to commonly deliver.
Feed the Rhino waltz on stage
to a drum and bass intro, gazing wild eyed into the crowd and calmly strapping
on their instruments. When the first track smashes in, the energy and rage that
erupts from all (including charismatic frontman Lee Tobin) is a bit of a shock,
the heaviness created by the band both skull-smashing and chest-stomping. The
pit gets in full swing as FTR tear through songs from their latest album ‘The
Burning Sons’ (the title track being a highlight) with a ferocity that is
unrivalled by many. Tobin springs into the carnage, stepping on heads and
shoulders to fight his way through the bodies, every single person in the room
lapping up the likes of ‘Mr Red Eye’, ‘The Butchers’ and another new track in
the form of ‘Left For Ruins’. It’s a set that’s worthy of a headline slot, had
FTR not been playing second fiddle to Gallows. It won’t be long before this
band are the ones selling out the venues and a headline tour must surely soon
be on the horizon.
Gallows storm onto stage in
formidable fashion, dropping into opening song ‘Misery’ as easily
as they ever have, it’s quite clear that Wade is a commanding force, his
physical appearance everything as menacing as the raw tone of his voice. The band
bring tracks from the new album to the plate with venom, highlights including ‘Last
June’ (which generates a rousing reception from the crowd) and ‘Odessa’, the
heaviness being delivered with effortless cool. The energy from the band is
pleasing as tracks from the ‘Death Is Birth’ EP are screamed along to by the
swaying, sweaty masses, Gallows fan of old and new knowing every single word.
The Frank era songs (‘In The Belly Of A Shark’, ‘Abandon Ship’, etc) is where
Wade’s test really lies, and for many the main talking point when coming away
from this show. But the big man delivers, the songs perhaps not seeming as
personal to him as his own, but each word bellowing out of him in a convincing fashion.
It’s an exhausting performance for both band and audience. The final riot of ‘Orchestra
of Wolves’ pushes the crazy factor up a notch and when the band finally leave
the stage, everybody in the room is convinced (if they weren’t already) that
Gallows may be different, but they’re definitely one of the best live acts in
the country right now.
Here's some videos I managed to capture on the night!
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