Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes
Last night marked the fourth time Frank Carter and The Rattlesnakes have played in Norwich since their inception in early 2015, and their second time since the release of Modern Ruin in January. In this relatively short amount of time, the band has generated a healthy, dedicated following that fills up the LCR; as Carter himself notes, it was only two years ago when the band played in the tiny backroom of the old Owl Sanctuary.
Melbourne singer Ecca Vandal is first on stage, following the release of her self-titled debut album in late October. Seeing as she’s come such a long way, she doesn’t quite get the crowd numbers she deserves, but those who did turn up early are treated to an incredibly solid set. To say that Ecca Vandal’s influences are eclectic is an understatement: Vandal sings with the soulful swagger of M.I.A, whilst her live band churns out riffs that are more reminiscent of Queens of the Stone Age. There’s even a quick cover of UK hip hop classic “Witness (1 Hope)” by Roots Manuva. It’s a little scattered perhaps (possibly the downside of taking so many different influences), but nonetheless Ecca Vandal strikes a confident figure and proves herself to be a new artist worth watching.
Hallmarks of the UK emo scene Basement are slightly more reserved in their stage performance, but their energy still carries across through their music. Opening with “Brother’s Keeper”, the Ipswich band play a good mix of songs from their three albums, from the melodic hardcore leanings of I Wish I Could Stay Here to the Britpop-tinged alternative rock of 2016’s Promise Everything. Like Carter, the group are also frequent visitors to Norwich, and it’s clear that their fans are in attendance as the first of the night’s mosh pits and crowdsurfers break out as the band play. It’s a very tight and absorbing performance by Basement, and there’s a touching moment as singer Andrew Fisher gives a shout out to his mum in the audience. With fan numbers increasing and signing to Fueled By Ramen, Basement look to be getting bigger and bigger in the years to come.
Kicking off with the driving riffs of “Primary Explosive”, Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes waste no time in attempting the blow the roof off the LCR. Modern Ruin may have blunted Carter’s sonic assault somewhat, but in no way has it taken any of the energy and charisma from the former Gallows frontman. Carter bounds around the stage with vigour and confidence, picking up a light fixture at one point, as the rest of the band play a heady mix of punk and mid 2000s-esque alternative rock. The energy the band puts out is returned in spades by the tireless legions of fans, who don’t seem to stop moshing or singing for the entire set. During “Wild Flowers”, Carter asks all of the female fans in the audience onto the stage to dance, and soon enough dozens of them are leaping around the stage as the band finishes off the song. Frank isn’t afraid to get involved himself either, claiming the sound desk as his own as he performs “Modern Ruin” from the back of the room. There’s no doubt that the band are on top form, but yet you can’t quite seem to shake the feeling that everything seems a little too theatrical. Previous performances by the band had a snarling edge to them that made them unique, but it feels like this edge has been lost somewhere along the way and the final product is somewhat more sterile. As the band comes on for a four-song encore, it feels like you’ve seen it all before, something that shouldn’t be used to describe the Rattlesnakes. Regardless, the audience absolutely loves it, and it’s hard to argue with 1,500 people all singing “you’re a useless f**king c**t” as the band rounds off their performance with the anthemic “I Hate You”.
Everyone leaves the LCR following Carter’s performance in high spirits, and it’s easy to see why. Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes may be losing their edge a little but, as the band prepares to play Brixton Academy to record their live album at the end of the tour, it’s certainly not slowing them down.
