I can never decide whether it’s a good idea for the headliners to bring a band that could potentially blow them off the stage every night or, if it in fact galvanises them, forcing them to up their own game. US metalcore giants Pierce The Veil are in town and they’ve brought hometown favourites Holding Absence and Dayseeker along for the ride and to keep them on their toes.
It’s a full room that greets the very likeable Holding Absence, who deserve every bit of success they get. They’ve played every venue in south Wales on their continuing rise to prominence, so it’s an emotional room that greets them tonight – a large portion of this audience has supported the band since the early days. As Lucas Woodland and the boys proceed to deliver a set of beautifully balanced emo/metalcore, the crowd go suitably crazy, perhaps leaving Pierce The Veil questioning how they follow them.
Before that, though, there’s the matter of Orange County’s post hardcore troupe Dayseeker to take care of. An altogether more chilled vibe crosses the arena, as the four-piece rely more on acoustic guitars and soaring melodies to get their point across, but the crowd pops once more as Woodland emerges to join them on an epic Starving To Be Empty which sees the Utilita Arena bathed in torchlight. Beautiful.
Pierce The Veil emerge to a crowd who would have paid the entrance fee just to have seen the show up to this point, but with an attitude that stunk of “challenge accepted” the San Diego boys grab Cardiff by the scruff of the neck and don’t let go until the end – kicking off with Death Of An Executioner, which gets the crowd on its feet.
A faithful rendition of Radiohead’s Karma Police is one of the many highlights littering their set tonight, which includes an emotional run through Hold On Till May where a lucky punter is invited onstage and thanked by the band for their support, before leaving with singer/guitarist Vic Fuentes’ guitar no less. The band keep it low key for Resilience and Bulletproof Love, and their heavier side is demonstrated again with May These Noises Startle You In Your Sleep before they bounce through an energetic Hell Above.
A quick break and the band hit us with Besitos and King For A Day with stage loaded air cannons heralding the end of the set. A triumphant show for every band involved, but nobody would take away the fact that this night, in this this city, belonged to Holding Absence.
Pierce The Veil, Dayseeker + Holding Absence, Utilita Arena Cardiff, Fri 12 Apr
words CHRIS ANDREWS photos CHARLIEJPEG
