Gallows
‘Don’t ruin a band’ the words of Frank Carter as he drags himself from the clutches of a thousand screaming fans. Screaming because they had just witnessed something very special, a live performance so electrifying and so exhilarating they were utterly in awe.
They were looking at something reminiscent of the days of Nirvana, a band that appeared uncomfortable with their position. Frank Carter does not want to be idolised, but if you create such refreshing music as they do and perform the way they did at the Shockwaves NME tour, what can you expect?
Their performance kick started with an incredible amount of energy and continued throughout. The stick thin front man threw himself in every direction and was quite literally bouncing off the walls. They stormed through every track with such earnest determination to please the fans. ‘Orchestra Of Wolves’, ‘Belly Of A Shark’ and ‘Just Because You Sleep Next To Me’ sound even better live than they do on record and this is because you’re witnessing the sheer energy and determination of this band
The highlight of the gig came as a surprise. It was the moment when Frank introduced a friend. None other than Lethal Bizzle who walked coolly on to the stage for a brilliant rendition of Rutts cover, ‘Staring At The Rude Boys’.
For me the truly exciting thing about The Gallows performance is their down-to-earth attitude, although thankful for where they are today, they still believe themselves to be the band they were a year ago. They haven’t changed at all in fact the only difference is the size of the venue. What was nice to see at the Astoria was Frank pointing out his parents and friends in the audience, not only this, but then inviting his 4/5 year old cousin on stage and getting him to shout ‘Fuck Off’ into the microphone. This showed their true connection with the audience, the fact that just because they’re in the band it doesn’t make them any different to us.
The gig ended with the Gallows frontman fighting with a member of the audience, perhaps a disappointing end for some, or perhaps the expected for others. With the rest of the band off stage, equipment in disarray and the gig clearly over, Frank Carter couldn’t help but react to no other than a cocky teenager. Whether this proves their hardcore credentials or just their unprofessional attitude I’ll leave that up to you. Either way the future of the Gallows is very unpredictable, the chaotic manner and fiery temper of Frank Carter may be the best thing in the band. Or it may be the worst, it might not be the fans that ruin a band, it might just be the frontman.