GOLDEN TANKS / WICKED SNAKES / PILLARS | LIVE REVIEW
The Parrot, Carmarthen, Thurs 6 Feb
I decided to brace the unforgiving weather which Wales continually dishes out in order to witness yet another stirling lineup provided by Before The End Promotions. After unfortunately missing openers These Hands of Mine, Devon-based outfit Pillars opened my evening with an enticing display of crushing, melodic fury, delivered emphatically by a band who clearly wear their hearts on their sleeves.
Despite lacking their second guitarist tonight, the outfit managed to flourish in their wounded form through captivating riffs and a hard-hitting vocal display by their frontman. It was climactic finisher Trials which highlighted their brilliance, as a clearly charmed audience relished a sing-along with a band whose future seems blindingly bright. Hard-working, passionate and grateful for every drop of support they receive, Pillars’ live performances are a genuine pleasure to experience.
Main support Wicked Snakes have seen their faces plastered across every magazine in print recently, but tonight they deliver a performance plagued by a non-existent connection with their audience. Their frontman offers little enthusiasm in both his interaction and performance, leaving the exceptional quality of the band’s instrumentals on offer to wallow in the shadows. As more and more of the crowd decide to take a breath of fresh air, even outstanding material such as Lead Me To The Sun struggles to excite those left. This band have all the right pieces falling into place off-stage, but judging by their performance tonight, their unexciting and worryingly distant display might suggest that Wicked Snakes aren’t ready to live up to their recent hype.
Golden Tanks, however are on a different level. Exploding into a set fuelled by blistering pace and aggression, the band deliver a performance which sets them apart from every other band in their genre. An intense vocal display from Ben Sivyer coincides gloriously with thundering instrumental chaos, leaving every eye in the room firmly glued to an outfit who define excitement. Finishing with an impromptu circle pit round the drum kit in the middle of the intimate venue, the band share wide smiles, stemming from a performance which boasts highly polished and mouthwatering quality, with unrelenting adrenaline. Exhilarating and virtually faultless, Golden Tanks are set to take the alternative scene by storm.
words GEORGE FULLERTON