Having successfully conquered the downstairs room in Clwb Ifor Bach last year, with a rowdy sold-out live performance, Salem – the offshoot band of Creeper lead singer Will Gould – have been promoted to the main room at Cardiff’s famous old venue for tonight’s return. Dubbed The Unholy Communion tour, they’ve seemingly snapped up a lot more fans since last year, too. Once again Clwb Ifor Bach demonstrates its multitasking skills, with As Everything Unfolds proving a hit in the downstairs room – but it’s upstairs where the real action is.
Supporting tonight were local outfit The Nightmares, who are slowly but surely making quite the name for themselves as they charge enthusiastically through a set of future pop-rock-goth classics. London’s Bad Nerves follow, getting the crowd moving once more with their garage-pop fusion of the White Stripes and the Ramones. But it’s Salem that the people want, and they duly delivered with a set that doesn’t let up.
While Creeper has branched out slightly into Jim Steinman territory, Gould is clearly getting his goth-punk kicks in Salem – who take all the best bits of AFI and Misfits and reshape them for the modern teen crowd. Special attention is reserved for Fall Out Of Love, Draculads and Eyesore, while Gould shouts out the bands downstairs in a show of unity.
The crowd in attendance are more than willing to help, with massive singalongs and mini-pits erupting at any given opportunity before one huge circle pit is quickly utilised for Heaven Help Me. Once again Salem has conquered Cardiff, and on this evidence, it won’t be long before Will Gould finds himself in two successful rock bands.
Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff, Tue 19 Apr
words CHRIS ANDREWS photos CERYS ANDREWS