This seemed to be an ill-fated show, having been originally scheduled for October last year. With the break-up of co-headliner Break Even and the closure of the original Leeds venue, The Well, some were wondering if it was ever going to happen. Thankfully for everyone though, Daylight stepped in to fill the gap on the bill and a new venue was found. The Cockpit was the choice – a tiny place built into the side of a railway bridge. There was an interesting mix of metal dudes and hardcore kids at the bar, with Chimera playing the larger room at the venue. More Than Life took the the upstairs room which resembled something like a miniature aircraft hanger. Around 80 people squeezed in here for what proved to be an outstanding night of hardcore music.
The first act was Fade Away, a band from Heppenheim, Germany, who have yet to release anything besides a demo. They gave a good account of themselves with a fast and passionate melodic hardcore sound and a very nice guitar tone. They were followed by Grader who currently have a 7″ out on TDON records and were a worthy replacement for the originally billed Landscapes. The Aberdeen hardcore band played a decent set, mixing up the vocals well and with a lot of energy. Pennsylvania four-piece Daylight, who had made the longest trip of all the bands, took to the stage next. They were also the most reserved of all the bands but made up for it with a tight performance. The songs from their latest EP, The Difference In Good and Bad Dreams, sounded fantastic, with lively drumming and nice changes in pace. If there was one problem it was that some of the quieter vocals which sound very good on the record were inaudible over the other instruments. This is a small complaint though as there’s little they can do about it with their DIY set up. The band everyone had come to see, More Than Life, closed out the night. They warmed up the room with the introduction to Nirvana’s In Bloom. This was quite a surprise but it had the desired effect and got the crowd going for the first time. They played a memorable show: full of energy, passion and audience involvement. The set included all their best tracks, from Take My Life Away to Love Let Me Go, fan favourite Daisy Hill and ending on Faceless Name. The vocalist reiterated the news that this will be their final tour. It’s sad to see the journey end but they will forever be one of the most celebrated bands in the melodic hardcore genre. We sincerely hope that their plans for a final album come to pass.
Links: More Than Life – Daylight – Grader – Fade Away
