Here’s a brace of gig reviews I wrote for the Portsmouth News.
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The annual Imperial Never Say Die! tour hits the UK once more and this time Aussie metalcore quintet Parkway Drive top the bill.
The Never Say Die! tour takes a number of alternative genres and mixes them together to make one huge heavy metal pot.
War From A Harlot’s Mouth represent the deathcore side whereas Emmure, We Came As Romans and UK act Your Demise stand up for hardcore and post-hardcore.
These bands are entertaining but perhaps don’t do enough to make themselves stand out from the hordes of hardcore/metal bands currently on the touring circuit.
Bleeding Through ramped up the volume with some vicious metalcore, but this left main support act Comeback Kid feeling a little out of place.
Their punk rock seemed a little tame compared to what the audience has heard previously, but maybe it was a ploy to make everyone think that upcoming headliners Parkway Drive were the loudest, heaviest band on the bill.
If it was a deliberate tactic then it definitely worked.
Parkway Drive completely blew every other band out of the water.
The lead guitar was perhaps a little buried in the mix (the solo during Sleepwalker was barely audible), but it was the breakdowns that everyone was fired up for and they didn’t disappoint.
Dead Man’s Chest and Idols And Anchors sounded especially impressive.
Lead singer Winston McCall mentioned it was the first time Parkway Drive had visited Portsmouth – and based on last night’s performance, it certainly won’t be the last.
Link to article: here
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Last year’s Eastpak Antidote tour, which Alexisonfire headlined, was a huge success so it’s only right that they return to Portsmouth to slay another crowd of 600 strong fans.
UK supporting bands The Computers, whose frontman decides to hop over the barrier and play in the middle of the crowd, and Chickenhawk warm up the crowd nicely.
Alexisonfire make the trip from Canada to the UK on the back of their new EP, Dog’s Blood.
The title track of this new release is played along with select cuts from Old Crows/Young Cardinals, Crisis, Watch Out!, the self-titled Alexisonfire and even a little known track from The Switcheroo Series called Charlie Sheen vs Henry Rollins. I wonder what the Black Flag frontman would have to say about that.
Unfortunately, this reviewer’s favourite song, Born and Raised, isn’t played but you can’t have it all.
The band seem really on form and, most of all, seemed to be enjoying themselves on stage. Dallas Green’s voice could melt the iciest of hearts whereas George Pettit’s gravely screams can send shivers down your spine.
A career spanning setlist coupled with the obvious delight the band have on stage make this a gig to remember.
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