Camden Barfly
26.04.07
With a ever growing impressive roster indie champions Captains of Industry are constantly fighting the corner for up and coming bands, and on a steamy night in the Barfly they’ve brought together the much hyped Silicon Vultures, Scottish upstarts Sucioperro and post-hardcore gods Hell is For Heroes, for a night of screaming guitars, aggressive in-your-face performances and an excuse to rock the fuck out.
We catch the last couple of tracks from Silicon Vultures (don’t blame me, blame the tardy service in Nando’s..) – but you can’t help but be impressed with the blistering pace of the 3 piece’s drum machine driven brand of electro-punk. Frontman Delaney Jae hurtles around the stage like a man possessed; it’s a memorable and adrenaline fuelled performance, check them out before they hit the big time, because they’re clearly destined for big things.
Scottish five piece Sucioperro are an unexpected treat, bringing together well written tracks brimming with both beautifully crafted melody and fire – these guys have the balance between heavy rock and artistry down perfectly. ‘You Can’t Lose what You Don’t Have‘ stands out in their set, with frontman JP Reid bringing the house down. These guys won’t be playing support at the Barfly for long, they belong of top of the bill at a much larger venue.
Appetizers over, it’s time for the main course. Hell is For Heroes take to the stage amidst thunderous applause, and launch straight into ‘Cut Down‘ with a ferocity that pushes the openings acts into shade. A special mention must go out to the best dressed drummer in rock, Joe Birch, who tonight sports a Crossfire shirt- Joe, we salute you!
Justin Schlosberg is celebrating his birthday today but things aren’t going his way, and the set’s plagued with sound problems, with the unfortunate roadie having to fight his way through the front rows to the stage every few minutes to replug a mic etc. It’s Justin’s party and he’ll cry if he wants to – and whilst it never comes to that he does throw his keyboards to the ground, the frustration etched over his face when he can’t get any sound to reproduce for the ethereal bridge in ‘Kamachi‘.
But shrugging off the sound issues Hell is For Heroes simply intensify their performance, ‘Five Kids Go‘ is so jagged and raw that the vocals could scorch you, the sublime new offering ‘You’ve Got Hopes‘ (reviewed in this month’s Pit) is a teaser for their new album which promises to be the best yet. ‘Night Vision‘ sends the crowd into frenzy – and the photographers in the front row almost land at Findlay’s feet. A regular on their set list is a cover of The Cure ‘Boys Don’t Cry‘, dedicated by Will to Justin on his birthday.
Leaving over into the crowd Schlosberg’s face is unsmiling, a blinkered look of determination, lost in the music. ‘You Drove Me To It‘ ends the set, a track which never loses its live appeal. The sheer intensity of the sound being hurtled off the stage is enough to almost lift you from your feet. The venue almost buckles at the sides at Schlosberg leans over the crowd barriers for ‘They won’t break me…they won’t ground me..’, the crowds reaching out, arms raised fists clenched in salute.
A rendition of Happy Birthday lures the guys back to the stage and they bring the house down with ‘I Can Climb Mountains‘, with Justin ended up upside down, feet against the air conditioning unit, head in the crowd. Hell is For Heroes are a band than you need to get involved with, you need to be in the crowd, feeling the excitement, the passion that drives them is palpable, the ferocity of their shows never falters, and it’s always a pleasure to witness a British band who are ever growing in popularity but still remain grounded. Captains of Industry bought them in from the shadows after their split with EMI and without labels like Captains, we might have lost one of the mainstays of the post hardcore scene.
A stellar performance despite the sound problems – Hell is For Heroes impress again, and we leave tonight hungry for the new album. Bring it on.
Dee Massey
Photos by Phil Proctor