Dials / Yearbook / Insurgents / Red Kites [Live Review – The Boileroom, Guildford, 18/10/13]
Opinion
I love the Guildford alt-rock scene’s current direction. There are so many fantastic bands strutting their stuff in the South East right now – and with this show, local promoters Genrebomb presented a sizeable crowd with no less than four up-and-coming new talents:
Red Kites
Opening bands are often prone to performing with an off-putting timidity, as if that opening slot has marked out their permanent place in the big scheme of things. Red Kites do not, and this is a very good thing. The depth of compositional complexity here isn’t used for an excuse to shoegaze either – these guys love to play live and put on a show, and you can almost see the sheer joy radiating from their pores as they immerse their audience in a rich blend of tech-flavoured indie rock goodness. Really wicked.
Insurgents
Some heavy Muse and Biffy influences here – very cool. The drummer was a highlight for me: some seriously precise fills going on, even amongst tough-as-a-degree-level-mathematics-exam polyrhythms. Overall I found these guys to be very similar to Arcane Roots, though less technical and leaning a touch heavier on the pop-rock hook angle. Seeing the guitarist and bassist dump feedbacking instruments on the ground to jump into the front row and beat some previously concealed drums was a nice touch too; I get the impression that these guys are only going to get tougher and more exciting in the future.
Yearbook
Technical difficulties didn’t stop Yearbook from pushing out some incongruously muscular geek rock, and it definitely didn’t faze a steadily growing crowd either. Expensive chords, the influence of At The Drive In and Paramore lurking below the surface, an intense light show, and a climactic instrumental freak-out all added to a tight set.
Dials
As our headliners, Dials – on hand to cap off a tour and celebrate the release of a brand-new EP – had their work cut out for them. Walking onstage after the previous three acts was, doubtless, pretty nerve-wracking. However, it only took a couple of seconds for Dials to have the biggest crowd of the night eating out of their hands. Previous single Exodus (Miracle) sounds all the more meaty and delicious in a live environment; a cover of All Saints’ Pure Shores induced much grinding and hip-swaying; and the new songs were already buffed to a tour-polished sheen. All in all, a fun and entertaining set met with a rapturous response by an impressively diverse crowd of fans. The kind of performance that has the potential to win many more converts. It’s just a matter of time, really.
Links
Red Kites on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/redkitesmusic
Insurgents on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/insurgentsuk
Yearbook on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yearbookofficial
Dials on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dialsofficial
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