By Jase Walker
So after departing my life in the ÜK, I’ve been inevitably drawn back after barely a few weeks to return to not only the ÜK, but Manchester, for a weekend of more prog than you can shake a stick at. Friday at Radar festival is absolutely fucking stacked and after a quick run around town and a nice big breakfast, I’ve arrived just after doors because today opens up with a band I’ve waited legitimately a decade to see live, Shattered Skies.
They get us started on the absolute right foot with their signature rapid palm muted riffage and thunderous bottom end that is a definite sign of a dingwall bass. And the second song is my absolute favourite, ’15 Minutes’; needless to say I might already wear my voice out before the weekends even gotten into its stride. It’s also striking how incredible the lighting is on the second stage as well, it’s an incredibly thorough production that I genuinely didn’t expect! Thoroughly what I needed to get out of this show although I’m gutted I only got 30 minutes!
My buds in Forager are making a comeback for RADAR, and the local lads are no doubt going to make a bit of a mess nice and early on a Friday! With a bit of a change in sound even since last year with newer singles fusing Turnstile-esque hardcore with nu-metal and their singer, Oli, dressed for the occasion! Predictably unpredictable and Oli having very little consideration for his own well being dives into the crowd without hesitation for a quick run around before quickly jumping back to the stage to carry on vocal duties. The sheer force and energy that Forager puts into their shows is incredible and they do this every show, I can absolutely assure anyone of this, and they keep this up at 150 per cent at a minimum for their entire set. I’d also like to say, I totally called it that Oli would end up swinging from the ceiling girders, and he absolutely did, what a champ!
Right after is another huge draw for me this weekend, Exploring Birdsong. Seeing them on such a massive stage is something that I feel is so well deserved. A brief hiccup with Lynsey’s vocals but fixed almost immediately and her soft and sweet voice rings out across the main stage crowd. It’s absolutely astounding how quiet the crowd is during the softer parts of their music, an incredible sign of collective respect to the band and their craft. The new songs sound fantastic as well: ‘Ever The Optimist’ again sees the crowd almost silent during the introduction, but that chorus swells and covers me like a nice warm blanket.
After a good singalong to The Midnight’s ‘The Deep Blue’, it’s now time for Floya, another huge draw for me this weekend! To say that these have been eagerly awaited for a show in the ÜK is probably a massive understatement! The moment they say the next one is ‘The Hymn’, everyone erupts into screams, big banger! At this point it’s really starting to become apparent just how incredible the sound is on the second stage so far, Floya in particular sounds exceptional. The melodic guitar pierces every nook and cranny of the room yet the driving force of drums and bass remains astoundingly strong. I’m genuinely astonished how Floya haven’t made it over to the ÜK sooner, especially considering the turnout they’ve got for this set. The room is absolutely packed all the way to the back of the room and at the end of every song they are making themselves heard with raucous applause. Already a contender for one of the best sets of the weekend and were only halfway through day one.
And because I can’t help myself because of the bands on offer today, it’s time to run back to the main stage for Unprocessed. A band that I’ve frustratingly missed so many times over the past few years so now’s as good a chance as any to catch them! Its again incredible how good the sound is on the main stage as well, their signature busy playing doesn’t lose any clarity which can often be the case with larger stages and more technically inclined bands. Their hyper melodic playing is crisp and isn’t overshadowed by the more intense playing which certainly bodes well for the big hitters this weekend!
Unprocessed rolls with a fantastic clash of djent against math rock and ends up with a resulting sound that is wonderfully melodic as it is rhythmic. It goes so hard and yet can often be so soft and warm, a very unique sound that channels Animals As Leaders every bit as much as The Surrealist, a balance of harshness and pleasant warmth.
I’ve had myself an extended break, meeting up with long time friends who I’ve not seen in months, checking out the music market, and generally just taking in the festival as a whole. There’s so much on offer across the weekend: arcade machines, consoles, high spec PCs, and of course a large selection of various instruments to tempt musicians with lowered inhibitions.
It’s back to the main stage for Haken though, there’s little chance I would ever pass off a chance to see these as I am nothing short of infatuated with these. Frustratingly it seems that the bass and low end of their sound is absent from the start of the show which puts a bit of a damper on their often strong emphasis on rhythm. We’re being treated to a ‘The Mountain’ special for this set, so following ‘Taurus’, it’s straight into ‘Atlas Stone’, which people are clearly buzzed for as oddly friendly looking pits open up. I’m gutted because I’m really not enjoying the sound of this set so far, which is pretty difficult for me to admit considering how much I love Haken. I have seen so many fantastic shows from them but I don’t think this show is really up to par.
The sound towards the end of the set certainly improved but it left a bit of a bitter taste on the set as a whole. It’s definitely tempered by knowing that Ross isn’t quite at 100 per cent at the moment as well which places a lot of strain on him when keeping up performances, especially considering the amount of touring they’ve been doing. Going to chalk this one up to a dip in an otherwise stellar litany of shows from Haken over the years, they’re still one of my favourites and it’d take more than a bump in the road to change that.
As for Monuments, I would have liked to have something for them today but I legitimately couldn’t even get into the room for it! I think these should have been a main stage act!
And finally, the stage darkens for Sleep Token and the noise from the audience, a shrill cacophony of screams is deafening. Vessel takes the stage for a solo introduction and a sea of phones appears across the crowd to record the occasion with intermittent screams piercing the air as the rest of the band walks on. Given the sort of performance that Sleep Token put on, especially here, it’s clear right from the outset why they’ve had such a meteoric rise in popularity through 2022 and specifically 2023. It’s easy to rip on them with jeers like “Heavy Metal Coldplay”, but they’re so much more than that. All of their music is crafted in a way that it can easily switch from euphoric ballad to grinding filth and it doesn’t feel jarring.
Each song’s opening notes are met with a chorus of noise from the audience as if they’ve never heard the next song before and it’s their unabashed favourite that Sleep Token have ever written. Looking down from my balcony space and watching the writhing masses look like they’re caught in the middle of a mass hysteria, attempting to compete for the biggest enjoyment of the show is quite something, a sea of constant movement beneath me. I’ve written about Sleep Token many times before and I really cannot overstate how finely tuned everything about their craft is, from the songs they write, to their live shows, to their constant communication and use of social media to be ever present in people’s minds.
Sleep Token are, for lack of a better phrase, a musical phenomenon that I’ve been witness to since seeing them at TechFest for the first time in 2018. The shows I’ve been at since the start of 2023 have only served to cement that thought and what they’ve put on at RADAR festival this Friday has truly been a jewel in the crown. I can only imagine how they’re going to progress with their upcoming sold out ÜS tour and gigantic show at Wembley later this year, there really doesn’t appear to be any limit at the moment. What a way to close off Radar’s Friday, and with still two days to go it’s going to be a marathon and not a sprint.
- PHOTO CREDIT: All photos © Charlie Bluck/Rubén Navarro Martin/RADAR Festival. All copyright remains with the relevant photographers.
- RADAR returns to O2 Victoria Warehouse over the weekend of 26-28 July 2024. You can sign up for early pre-sale discounts NOW.
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