By Jase Walker
August has blown around so fast it’s made my head spin, or that could just be the lingering aftershocks of RADAR festival pinging around my head. Evidently I’m currently asking the question, ‘why do I do this to myself?’, given the state of my legs and feet but still soldiering on like a good little gig addict and I’m back on terra firma in the Netherlands and I’m already at another show.
Sadly Vianova had to drop off the tour due to a medical issue which is a shame but sees their local support, Coral Springs jump up in time as a result. I’ve not come across these before but I’m currently trying to find more local Dutch bands so this will be another bit of insight into the local scene.
They kick things off and I can see exactly why they’re opening for Protest The Hero. A super similar vibe of rapid punk energy and epic vocal melodies to fit. Swift chord changes match the high rhythmic energy that drives each song. I can imagine it’s probably a bit of a tough sell for them to a room that more than likely has turned up for just the headliner.
They’re putting a ton into this performance though and whoever is working sound for them is doing them justice too. Reminds me a bit of the lads in Tiberius back in Blighty that roll with a similar sound that’s rooted in punk but brings in that edge of showmanship and technicality.
Their singer reminds me so heavily of Rody from Protest The Hero: she’s got a fantastic knack for big soaring melodies and working as a focal point for the music of the band to support. Some points echo the likes of Four Year Strong and overall are super fun to watch and listen to. A really strong fit for tonight’s show and hopefully they’ve picked up a bunch of new fans as a result, the pressure would have been super high given the situation and they’ve absolutely delivered.
And for the second time in less than a week, it’s Protest The Hero, because I’m clearly insane and I don’t want to rest just yet.
It didn’t take long before the pit kicked off with ‘Mouthpiece’ as the opening salvo, I’ve got a rough idea of the setlist considering the RADAR set but I’m hoping for a few extra deep cuts given this headliner set! The immediate view in front of me is a blur of bouncing heads and flailing arms.
It may be Monday night but nobody in this room is concerned with tomorrow, bruises and all. It’s been nearly a decade since Europe had a chance to get stuck into a Protest The Hero show so people are going to take their fill and then some. Giving the audience no chance to breathe between jumping from ‘C’est La Vie’ into ‘Limb From Limb’ is a diabolical maneuver though.
What’s fantastic though is despite the time away and all of the ups and downs that have happened in between, Protest The Hero are still absolutely fire to watch. They may be older but are by no means running out of steam, it’s power all the way through.
Approaching the halfway point it’s finally time for crowd surfers to get brave enough to begin their time riding around and cautiously circling the fierce pit in the middle. The singer of Coral Springs jumps up for a brief guest spot during ‘Clarity’ which is awesome to see PTH giving more spotlight to them. Someone keeps telling Rody that his vocals are too low and he throws the gauntlet down and tells him to go to the sound guy directly and tell him to turn Rody’s vocals up… incredible.
I was right on the money with some further deep cuts as ‘Bloodmeat’ flows seamlessly into ‘The Dissentience’ and ‘Bone Marrow’ as it’s planting itself firmly in the ‘Fortress’ era.
Rody finally showcases the art piece that he was handed down the front, showing the parts and very Canadian references before hitting us with the last song.
The final moments in the encore are summarized with ‘Sequoia Throne’, squeezing the last drops of energy out of the crowd. I wish I had the energy myself but after a full weekend away I really need my bed.
What an incredible band and show. Welcome back and don’t stay away too long next time, ya hear?