FRANK CARTER & THE RATTLESNAKES | LIVE REVIEW
The Globe, Cardiff, Sun 26 Mar
The Modern Ruin tour was steadily coming to a close, already tearing through eight venues across the United Kingdom before reaching the Welsh capital. The headliners’ newest album, in comparison to their first release, is undoubtedly tamer but also contains a wider gaze of how the group wish to develop their sound. Their live presence, however, seems to grow in strides.
Strange Bones opened the show with an opinionated kick to the head – with merchandise stating ‘Theresa Is a Terrorist’ on the front, you can be sure that this band has a lot of attitude and a lot to say. The singer invaded the crowd’s personal space and they crossed over into rock riff city with numbers such as Big Sister Is Watching, God Save The Teen and SOIA. This is one band to keep on your radar.
Main support Yonaka may not have had Strange Bones’ edge, but proved to be no slouches when it came to stage presence. Their slightly shy frontwoman wove her unusual but attractive vocals into their indie rock stylings with elegance; her Florence Welch-style movements made her memorable, while Yonaka’s songs felt unique.
If Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes are anything, they are most certainly consistent in their ability to light a fire under the feet of everyone they play for. A thick cloud of smoke slowly generated before the Rattlesnakes revealed themselves, shortly followed by the notorious frontman and their opening punk rock number Snake Eyes. Anyone who has ever caught this band live will know that the front few rows of the crowd can define carnage: limbs bashing into others, bodies strewn into the sky. The flames under feet had slithered their way into the lungs and heart of everyone present, backing vocals reciting every lyric in unison with the copper-haired firestarter.
The raging inferno of Trouble and Juggernaut sent Carter clambering up the stairs into the balcony, only to throw himself off the top and into the open hands of the fans below – followed by his new move, holding a handstand while crowdsurfing. Songs from Modern Ruin swiftly took the spotlight: the title track, God Is My Friend, Lullaby and Thunder all exemplifying the expanded song structure that the group had embraced so heartedly, before delving back into the band’s back catalogue.
A few do’s and dont’s were made apparent throughout the night. DON’T become so inebriated that you can’t stand, DO become such a dedicated fan (and footstool) that you receive a free shirt, DON’T willingly hand over your phone to Frank unless you wish to be relentlessly teased as to whether you will ever see it again and DO commit to the traditional Rattlesnake stage invasion that ends the evening on a major high.
words and photos NATHAN ROACH
