One of the most exciting “heavy” bands playing a sold-out Electric Ballroom was just too much for us, so naturally we made sure we were in attendance to witness Beartooth put on one of the standout live sets of the year.
Blood Youth (8) open the night and put on a well-crafted set of catchy metalcore songs. Playing a full hour after doors open there’s a large crowd present who put up a frankly insane reaction. Despite being a band for only eight months Blood Youth are still a very tight live unit and there is an impressive amount of chemistry between the members
It’s a case of wrong time wrong place for ’68 (7) really. Putting on an esoteric (at least by the standards of tonight) punk rock show ’68 are certainly entertaining and accomplished musicians doing their absolute best considering tonights largely apathetic audience but, sadly, it goes over most of tonight’s audience’s heads.
Beartooth (10) begin their set by getting the entire venue to sit down on the ground. Its testament to tonight’s crowd that most are down on the floor without the band having played a note. When ‘The Lines’ inevitably kicks in and everyone duly jumps up it unleashes utter bedlam across the dance floor. Following this up with ‘Relapsing’ and ‘Dead’ just prolongs the insanity. A few older rarities from first EP ‘Sick’ and lesser-played song ‘Keep Your American Dream’ off debut album ‘Disgusting’ helps make it feel like more of an occasion.
Tonight is special. Beartooth are characteristically excellent and the reaction is huge from a sold out Electric Ballroom. It certainly feels like the culmination of all the touring that Beartooth have undertaken in the UK in the last few years and proves just how much popular support is behind Beartooth. By the time the main set is closed with ‘Beaten in Lips’ before the band return to the stage with ‘Bodybag’ and frontman Caleb Shomo asks for “complete chaos” it’s hard to see how it can get much more chaotic. Beartooth have taken the UK by storm and their future looks very bright indeed.
