While She Sleeps
Special Guests: Loathe
Venue: Hobos Bridgend
Date: 12th September, 2021.
Review By: Calvin Ryan
Loathe
In a time where most tours are being pushed back or being outright cancelled, there are two bands pushing through the barrier to bring live music to it’s full return.
Band number one, that are pushing it, are Liverpool’s Loathe. On the second night of their two night residency in Hobos they prove they’re damn worthwhile listening to. Their mind-bending metalcore starts with no warning, as all but one of the band gear-up on stage. Vocalist Kadeem France then emerges from the crowd, and not but five seconds later they burst into Gored and show the unsuspecting crowd what they’re capable of. Then as Aggressive Evolution hits, they’ve already got the crowd eating out of the palm of their hand. Broken Vision Rhythm & Dance On My Skin go hand in hand together, with the crowd giving more energy to each song as the band are. The band themselves are furious, as drummer Sean Radcliffe is as stupendous on the kit live as if played in the studio. Duel guitarists Erik Bickerstaffe & Connor Sweeney make their guitars squeal in agony during New Faces In The Dark & Two Way Mirror while their custom music videos play on the signature TV sets on stage. While the set doesn’t feel that long, you don’t realise the band have actually smashed out 13 songs to the crowd, who are now all sweaty and psyched up to see the headliner. As the band power down to leave the stage, a scene from Blade Runner plays before the lights come up and Shook Ones Part 2 by Mobb Deep play them off stage. Everyone is left blown away by the band, and while they didn’t sound the best (the sound at Hobos is hit or miss) they take it in their stride and melt the faces of the people who’ve never seen them before.
(4 / 5)
While She Sleeps
Having the reputation for being one of the best live and energetic bands in the UK, While She Sleeps are placed high in a lot of peoples list of bands to see. It’s clear that their reputation precedes them, as both dates sold out in minutes.
Starting with recent album title track Sleeps Society, the band erupts into a frenzy, as lead vocalist Loz Taylor screams those two words to the crowd. The crowd give the band the same energy back and the venue becomes one giant mosh pit, with bodies being hurled and limbs being flailed. Antisocial & Brainwashed are given the same treatment as both songs are vocally taken over as Loz shoves his microphone into the already deranged crowd. You Are All You Need & The Guilty Party are treated as old favourites as the crowd sing in unison with rhythm guitarist Mat Welsh – he serenades us with his cleans as Loz breaks the silence with his rough and gritty vocals.
You Are We & Four Walls are played back-to-back with people clambering onto others shoulders, as commanded by the furious frontman, while bassist Aaron McKenzie and lead guitarist Sean Long pour their souls into each song by flailing themselves across the tiny stage. Know Your Worth stands tall in the set, with fan favourite Hurricane showing that the lighter and heavier side of the band can coexist. Drummer Adam Savage meanwhile kills the audience, even hidden behind the erratic band, but his noise controls us all from the first snare shot executed.
Nervous & Systematic close the show with Loz demanding the crowd crouch, jump the fuck up and invade the stage, during which we catch eyes and share a grin, as you’re that close to the band you have their sweat dripping on you.
As the set ends you’re reminded how far WSS have come from their small town origins and how massive a crowd they can pull, as the 200 cap venue is nothing to what they’re used to playing. By the time you leave the venue you know you’ve just seen two of the UK’s best bands. And there’s no question that within the next two years they’ll both be pulling in crowds that make tonight look like nothing.
(5 / 5)
