"Pretty Good Gig Mate"
Considering the dramatically depressing state of affairs in our current political climate there really is no better feeling than finding a perfect avenue for blissful escapism. Enter Black Peaks. Last Thursday night at the Tufnell Park Dome the band took to the stage for what was their biggest UK headline show to date. The band have absolutely catapulted since releasing their excellent debut Statues in April last year, owing a lot of their growth to word of mouth, they've already played some career highlights including a thunderous supporting slot for Deftones at Wembley Arena and a confident, conquering show at Download Festival a week or so later. Amongst other big performances across 2016, the fact that they are still only in the cycle of their debut album is impressive to say the least.
At tonight's show it was announced only hours before that the band would be playing that debut album in full. Cynicism dictates that they probably get through the whole thing anyway in a normal headline set as it is their only full length release, but it was at the very least a unique opportunity to hear it from front to back. As they've been able to so consistently show, they absolutely come in to their own on the live stage. These are still early days in Black Peak's career, looking across the crowd you could see those who were perhaps checking out the band for the first time, possibly through the word of mouth that has stoked the fire of their popularity, as they stuck out with the kind of wide eyed, gawping facial expression that would rival that time you lost your virginity.
With the superb Statues played out from start to finish this was already great, but it propelled in to 'excellent' territory when the band closed with a brand new song never played live before. Simply titled Hope, Black Peaks gave an insight in to where they're heading going forward and it was every bit as exciting as the quality already conveyed on Statues. This is a band who are constantly developing, and judging by the heavy and eclectic sounding new music, they're riding this momentum gloriously.
Overall then, Black Peaks did as expected in risking the foundations of the Tufnell Park Dome by delivering a set which was chaotic, dominant and simply brilliant. In the same week Dillinger Escape Plan performed their last ever London show with many crying that the hole they fill will be too great. That thought-process needs to be reviewed as Black Peaks are here and they are here NOW and have shown to us already they've more than started to grab the initiative carved out in a path by Dillinger before them.