By Matt Haynes
*Photography by In My Lens on behalf of Get Heavy UK. Images are not to be redistributed, reproduced, or used elsewhere without prior permission.
Hours awake: 18(ish) hours. Miles travelled: 95(ish) miles. Steps walked: screw that, I didn’t keep track but it was around 10K, give or take. The purpose of all these figures? Heading to Sheffield to watch some people make loud noises and scream in the faces of their fans.
Today’s venue was the renowned Corporation, a venue that has hosted bands of all shapes and sizes (as evident through the numerous posters featuring names and faces from across the globe) for nearly 30 years. Numerous friends, gig-goers and even fellow band persons have mentioned this place to me several times over the years, and for some reason I’ve never found myself being able to get there for a gig. Well, it seemed like the right time to change that with the line-up I was going to see.
Covering the evening’s entertainment courtesy of Corp and promoter Lost Island Entertainment were Infirm of Purpose (who asked me on the evening to write only good things…no promises of course…), Anxiety States, Black Lakes and headliners Phoenix Lake.
This was an evening that was going to be a bit of a challenge for the quarter – not only did Corporation have other events playing within the other two rooms used, the bands were also up against a local football match AND pop sensation Lily Allen who was touring her latest album. These kinds of challenges can sometimes throw some pressure onto venues and shows like this, so it was interesting to see how the evening would unfold accordingly.
After some time playing the roadie role for Phoenix Lake and having a catch up with fellow Get Heavy member Bastion King (who in this case was covering media for the headliners on their trip across the country), the first band took to the stage. Hailing from Derby, Infirm of Purpose (Josh, Oliver, Matt and Nathan albeit they were a member down for tonight’s show) were playing the city once more after a 7-year gap from their last appearance.
Now admittedly, due to having a good old chinwag with Ash from Phoenix Lake, I missed the first 5 minutes of this set. But the oomph from outside was enough to keep me up to date about the band and what sound they were going for.
Combining electronica, metalcore and Hip Hop, these lads laughed in the face of the challenge in being an opening band and had the perfect energy to warm up the crowd that was slowly filtering into the room. Mixing music with banter about themselves (after all, we are our own worst critics so we might as well joke about ourselves), the lads surprised me with the clever bend of genres.
Hip Hop and Electronica admittedly aren’t my cup of tea, but the way members were able to get me hooked on their sound and style with the energy on stage throughout their set. Of course, we can’t go wrong with some heavy breakdowns with a sprinkling of cowbell in them.
With the first band finished and the crowd building up gradually, Anxiety States soon took to the stage to get the energy flowing and the evening loud with riffs. Introducing themselves with an apology for any visible fart clouds (RIP to the drummer should they have had to deal with them…), we were met with traditional punk vibes and energy.
Having never heard of the band until promoter Phil Walker had mentioned them, I was interested to see how they took on the classic punk genre. And it was filled with energy from the get go. Whilst the guitarist hit you with pinches and punches and the drummer laid down the groove, you couldn’t ignore the high kicks and fancy footwork from the bassist throughout the set (application for Strictly Come Dancing in the post maybe?).
Of course, this was met by the enthusiasm and presence of the vocalist, jumping between mixing in amongst the crowd and headbanging on stage. The small technical glitches with the microphone didn’t stop the mission to bring the oomph to the Corporation stage. Whilst the songs did feel a bit blended and similar by the end of the set, the band were the boost of energetic chaos needed to keep the evening flowing smoothly and…well…loudly
Up next were rising stars in the alternative rock/metal market Black Lakes. Kicking off with an intro track that set a darker atmosphere, the band were more ‘cinematic’ in their approach to the set.
Backs turned to the crowd and creating a hype by ushering the crowd to start cheering them, they launched into their set with gusto and oomph.
Taking turns to command the audience and lead the charge were vocalist Will and guitarist/vocalist Scott, bouncing off each other seamlessly whilst ensuring their performance was of the highest standard throughout. Bassist Lee was fulling embracing the vibes of the evening, reflected by the look on his face that suggested he was becoming lost in the music and forgetting about everything else as he laid down one powerful bass line after another. And of course, we can’t forget the thunder provided by drummer Dafydd, ensuring the timings were exact and precise so the band could deliver smoothly from start to finish.
Heavy riffs, in your face rock vibes and plenty of harmonic melodies ensured that there was a variety of sounds and energy from the previous bands, particularly from ‘Hurricane’, which had the room bouncing along throughout. With a gracious bow from the band, we were prepared for the final band of the evening.
Now I won’t deny that Phoenix Lake is a band I love and adore. Prior to the evening’s events, I was able to sit and catch up with them. There was a sense of excitement from amongst the members as they were playing with bands they equally loved and adored.
You could also sense a small hint of nervousness – the work they had poured their heart and soul into was about to come to life and of course, how would it sound from practise room to the live stages. Well simply put – Phoenix Lake smashed all expectations. This was a band that had everything covered – the look, the sound, the comradery…you name it.
Amongst the faces of Lana, Ash, Zak and covering member Dan (Joe was sadly absent for the first couple of dates due to personal reasons), you could see the sense of joy from not only performing live, but also from having the crowd welcome them with open arms and joining in with the songs.
The setlist – containing tracks from the recent album Seraphina and a couple of PL classics – was perfect from start to finish. The transcribe of Serpahina’s story from album to live shows was flawless, each note ringing in the ears long after the songs had finished. The standout track for me was ‘Bells of Variel’. Out of all the tracks, this one has shown how much Phoenix Lake have evolved over time, and what really blew people away was the small transition from the band’s staple symphonic sound to something heavier and darker, particularly from Lana’s switch of harmonic vocals to heavy and intense.
For me, this was a band who brought a ‘bigger than the room’ energy, and was a constant reminder of why they are slowly becoming one of the UK’s big names within the underground scene.
Despite the small challenges throughout the evening, each band contributed an incredible amount of energy and joy to the evening. There was never a dull moment, the transfer of energy was minimal between sets and each band won over fans new and old within the crowd.
The stage team at Corporation were equally flawless, ensuring the sound for each band was gigantic and clean throughout (minus a few technical gremlins, but this was handled in a quick and tidy manner).
And of course, the line-up brought to us by Phil Walker (Lost Island Entertainment) was a perfect mixture of genres that kept the evening energetic and lively throughout. For me, it was a much needed trip away from the norm and as always, it was fantastic to see so many talented people doing what they loved
For more details about all the bands on the bill, click the links below:
PHOENIX LAKE ONLINE:
Mangata Music
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