Satan’s Hollow is the only venue in Manchester,
perhaps the country, that is at once a club and
an underground lair featuring faces carved into
the woodwork and of course a massive model of
Satan. With a circular stage at ground level in
the middle of the room it’s the perfect
venue to watch a Hardcore gig in and the Resis
Tour was exactly that.
Featuring Surrey boys Polar and the up and coming
Shadows Chasing Ghosts it was somewhat of a surprise
to find the metal club somewhat lacking in an
abundance of fans for the enthralling Essex boys
live experience, but after watching their performance
you can’t help but feel those who are fans
in a year or two will have missed a trick.
After a frankly lacklustre start from the two
local bands who failed to get any action the impromptu
mosh-pit consisting of two guys essentially fighting
showed that Polar had something about them and
slowly but surely two turned to three and then
in turn to four, it was a joyous occasion. The
band were tight and gave a full throttle performance
of screaming in faces and being screamed back
at in return by their small fan-base in attendance.
With half the crowd draped in Park Way Drive merchandise
it seemed like a much more aggressive affair than
many were used to, but it was in the aggression
and passion that the bands thrived and headliners
Shadows Chasing Ghosts relished ever moment of
the tiny spotlight they were cast under.
Vocalist Trey Tremain was a performer attuned
to his audiences’ desires spending half
the gig with only one foot on the speaker and
the other poised to keep his body from falling
into the audience as he shared his microphone
with adoring fans that were simply happy to be
this close to their idols. Tremain was equal parts
hero and equal parts usurper as he ripped the
crowns from the heads of his band members and
proclaimed himself king. His performance was vicious
and charming and perfect for the venue. While
the two guitarists simply stood there thrashing
out note perfect chords and watching their massive
hair it was Danny Green on bass that captivatingly
played into the crowd’s whimsy.
New single ‘Resist’ was a crowd pleaser
with some fans mouthing words to no one in particular
as others groped for Tremain’s neckline
on the horizon. From 2010’s The Golden Ratio
it was ‘Sunlight’ and ‘You Ain’t
Got the Minerals’ that were the most memorable
in a set where songs are played fast, hard, and
without introduction. On record Shadows Chasing
Ghosts aren’t actually very heavy, live
is another thing altogether as the sound reverberates
around a tiny room and straight into your ear
drum, all the songs from all the bands were loud
and indistinguishable, which isn’t so much
a comment on the band as the sound quality of
Satan’s which was otherwise a fabulous venue.
The Resis Tour may have featured four bands, but
it really was all about Shadows Chasing Ghost.
If you’re going to listen to this band in
any capacity I urge you to see them live where
they inject bags of fierce personality. The songs
could be by a million bands, but the show could
only be by one. See them in a small venue while
you still have the opportunity.
Polar 3/5
Shadows Chasing Ghosts 4/5
Review By Lauren Mullineaux
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