By Monk and The Dark Queen
It had been more than a few hot minutes since we had reunited the ÜRHQ tag team and climbed the hallowed stairs of our favourite venue, but what better excuse to take a trip into the darkened heart of Belfast city’s back streets than this promisory note of a double bill, headlined by one of the most exciting young bands I have heard in a long time, making their first venture across the Irish border to the northern capital.
The Dubliners certainly set themselves a challenging high bar to clear in terms of the opening act, one of the most consistently impressive and competent on this island. And, opening with the triptych of ‘Progressive Mistake’, ‘1000 Yard Stare’ and the punchier than a cornered Carl Frampton ‘Jekyll And Hyde’, Delusional Silence once again do not disappoint, despite the slightly disappointing early audience numbers.
However, this latter situation slowly improves as the quintet, fronted by the ever dynamic Pete Renshaw (who admittedly overdoes it a bit on the “we are Delusional Silence” reminders during the first part of the set), burn their way through their allotted 45 minutes of Maiden-inspired classic metal grooves. Their massive melodies cascade over and into huge harmonies, which are embedded in seismic bass undertones.
Pete does his best to get a pit going, with the result looking like four guys politely pushing and shoving each other, but at least things are warming up: indeed, by the end they are quite ‘Hot And Heavy’ as DS deliver yet another tightly focussed and surgically precise set.
Looking around during the changeover, the crowd is an interesting mix of veterans such as ourselves and the youngsters so vital to keeping the scene alive, and its great so see from both aspects, as it shows not only the vibrancy of the rock community but its willingness to embrace and cultivate new talent… And, on that note it’s time for our headliners…
Vendetta Love hit the stage with an immediate roundhouse kick to our collectives. With frontman Shawn oozing charisma and confidence by the tonne, their blend of grungy sleaze and sleazy grunge, intermingled with intertwining elements of nu-metal and classic rock sensibilities, is delivered with truck loads of grit and commitment, the songs bouncing with latent energy.
These guys have everything in their arsenal: the songs, the hooks, the onstage dynamics, the rock star frontman. All the ingredients to make them perhaps the singular most exciting act I have seen emerge from the Emerald Isle, north or south, in the past decade. Despite a rather needless but nevertheless efficiently and fluidly delivered version of ‘It’s So Easy’, the four guys lay every ounce of their collective and individual angst and anguish on the Voodoo stage.
The result is one of those exhilarating, exciting, #WhatTheFuck #IWasThere #IWishIWasThere #WhyTheFuckWerentYouThere nights in rock ‘n’ roll history. Just remember when they’re headlining an arena near you in the not too distant future, you heard about them here first \m/
- PHOTO CREDIT: All photos © The Dark Queen/Über Rock.
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