By Bastion King
We had quite the unconventional lineup earlier this week, with Gnome headlining, and dragging along Bad Milk Blood Robot, Confyde and Bonestrider to support them. Saltbox in Nottingham became host to plenty of Gnome-hat wearing metal fans, who had turned out to enjoy the bands.
Saltbox, as a venue, is always interesting. It has a huge capacity, allowing really good crowds for the bands that play there, but it does result in an odd experience when you're stood near the front and the PA system is behind you, making the mix feel strangely disconnected from whats happening on stage. Thought I'd highlight this, as it's important context for this review.
The opening act, Bonestrider, was full of weighty riffs that made you want to headbang away. Admittedly, they're a smaller three-piece band who delivered a slow paced set without much in the way of constant vocals. Having recently taken part in Heat 1 of Nottingham's Metal 2 The Masses, hoping to secure a place at Bloodstock, being able to play the same stage as a band like Gnome is a huge opportunity for Bonestrider.
With what little singing there was, we were treated to an impressive voice. The band largely focuses on the riffs and rhythms associated with this genre, adding just enough vocals where needed. They did run around ten minutes over, starting late and finishing even later, and the lack of much interaction beyond being reminded to thank Mangata and the venue felt a little awkward, but musically they absolutely brought the mood. We'd love to see some more confidence from them moving forward, but for now, this is a nice step in the band's story.
Considering that Bonestrider had ran over significantly, Confyde were rushing to make up that time and keep the show on track. They didn't let that affect their performance though, as they were easily the most active band on the bill. Every portion of crowd interaction was met with headbanging, cheers and hands in the air. The frontman Martin Jackson was particularly fantastic at working the crowd and feeding off the audience’s response. He even parted the crowd, launched himself off the stage, over the barrier and performed in the middle of the room. Even if the crowd didn’t quite surge in around him as much as the moment deserved, it still landed brilliantly.
There’s definitely an argument that they sat slightly outside the expected stoner metal feel of the lineup, but when the crowd is enjoying it that much, it’s hard to complain. Plus, if Confyde are able to manage a crowd of this size this well, they are easily capable of headlining venues of this capacity, provided it's organised and promoted well.
Bad Milk Blood Robot are probably the hardest band to try and describe on paper. The easiest way we can explain it, is that they're an experience, one that is best felt live. They're a band that you'll either instantly click with or feel its not for you.
Given the psychedelic feel of the bands music, stage presence and projector graphics, they take a little getting used to. Having infatable props and balloons definitely didn't hurt, and their cow-themed outfits, cloaks and generally zany stage presence definitely brought something unique to the evening.
Sadly, due to stage limitations and the lead singer anchored to what looks to be a mixing desk that was center stage, it was already a crowded setup up. They made the most of it, movement wise though. The bass did feel a touch low in the mix at times, which took some weight away from the weirder riff sections, but overall they were memorable in a way few bands manage.
Finally, the band sporting the luxurious red hats; Gnome. There's something rather comedic about watching a sea of people, all wearing pointy gnome hats, bobbing their heads to this band. As far as music goes, they sounded strong, with clear vocals, solid solos and plenty of thick, satisfying riffs. As a three-piece, the saltbox stage isn't greatly suited for them due to how the center stage sticks out. As a result, there wasn't any one member dominating the center and the two band members not tied down to a drum kit seemed reluctant to move around and make full use of the space.
Around the hour mark of the set, it did begin to feel a little samey, as the momentum started to dip. An 80-90 minute set just felt longer than it needed to. There's also something to be said about Gnome's drum kit, which in this particular venue really suffered and did no favours for the support bands using the kit. Despite all of that, their music was enjoyable and they'll definitely be on our radar for future gnome hat-wearing gigs.
Taken as a whole, the night was genuinely enjoyable, with each band bringing something distinctly different and unique to the performance. It was a lineup that kept the room engaged from start to finish, even with the gripes we have with the night and venue as a whole. Each band has left us with something memorable and enjoyable from the evening, and we look forward to seeing more of them in future.
If you’d like to find out more about any of the bands playing tonight, just tap the links below:
Photography by In My Lens on behalf of Get Heavy UK. Images are not to be redistributed, reproduced, or used elsewhere without prior permission.
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