Concorde 2, 5th March 2009
Having looked forward to this night for a long, long time, I feel it is my duty to put things into perspective for any of you who may not have heard of The Bronx.
March 5th 2009 saw a monumental event, the likes of which this City hasn’t seen for far too long. Concorde 2 hosted Rock Sound’s Shred Your Face 2 tour which this year featured American punk rockers The Bronx, Toronto based hardcore band Fucked Up and UK protégé’s Rolo Tomassi. In short, this was the mother of all line-ups. Three generations of punks, each bringing their own brand of pure sweet mayhem. It doesn’t get much better than this!
Sheffield’s own ‘spazzcore’ saviours Rolo Tomassi kick the night off with their insane blend of synth tinged hardcore. You can’t dance to it. In fact most of the time you’re rooted to the spot, gazing in wonder as to how they keep up such blistering pace. They’ve been making big waves on the underground hardcore scene since their inception back in 2005. Since then the teenage five-piece, fronted by siblings Eve and James Spence, have been carving a niche for themselves all over the UK, this tour probably setting them up for big things in the near future.
Fucked Up set the mosh pit on fire! Not literally of course. But they do inspire a more passionate response from the crowd. Their old school approach is perfect to jump around to and the floorboards begin rumbling with the relentless pump of a hundred legs. As the room is smashed by a wall of noise, notorious front man Pink Eyes works the audience. He screams his heart out, he assaults crowd members, he’s everything a punk singer should be and he does it all whilst smeared from head to toe in peanut butter! Everybody has been talking about this band and now I know why.
The night climaxes with the triumphant return of L.A assailants The Bronx and it was most definitely worth the wait. The band waste no time in unleashing a brutal audio attack on a mighty hoard whom, as expected, are engaged in a merciless brawl. Playing some of their best older tracks as well as fresh ones from their new album, the band is a force to be reckoned with in every sense. Singer Matt Caughthran’s blistering howls are so intense it’s a wonder he has any vocal cords left. Sing-along anthems such as “Shitty Future” and “Heart Attack American” ignite the room, ensuring this night will be remembered for a long, long time.
Words by James Watts
