Featured image and gallery: Ameena Ceesay
Skindred have established themselves as icons in the UK metal scene, with appearances at Slam Dunk and Bloodstock festivals under their belt. Their notoriety has recently extended toward younger generations around the world through TikTok and tonight, they make their return to Manchester to awaken something feral in the horde.
As Everything Unfolds kick off the run of supporting acts. “Let’s get fucking moving!” – the crowd obeys. Straight out of the gate the band brings beautiful vocals and a dynamic presence. Dubious looking projectors placed among the instruments reveal themselves to be strobe lights, used to great effect.
Nu metal legends P.O.D. follow suit. Since forming in the early 90s, they’ve risen to prominence, particularly with their acclaimed 2001 album Satellite. While it may prove a challenge to match the energy of the previous act, all doubt immediately dissolves. It’s clear that the crowd are more familiar with this act, and are catered to with classics such as ‘Youth of the Nation’ and ‘Alive.’
As if the atmosphere couldn’t get any hotter (both figuratively and literally), the curtain drops and a remix of the Imperial March acts as a call to arms for Skindred’s arrival, launching into opener, ‘Set Fazers.’
The blend of their discography and unconventional snippets reflects the structure of the rest of the set. ‘Pressure’ features a mid-track snippet of AC/DC’s ‘Back in Black’, while an interlude of Nelly’s ‘Hot In Herre’ beautifully segues into ‘That’s My Jam.’ At one point, vocalist Benji Webbe breaks out a mini keyboard, performing Van Halen’s ‘Jump’ before freestyling over House Of Pain’s ‘Jump Around’.
“Flash your lights and watch the world burn,” the opening lyric to ‘World’s On Fire’ echoes out, serving as an invitation for phones to light up and for fans to prepare for the incoming mosh. It is surprisingly less flamboyant compared to the other performances, it merely exists to let the crowd have the floor to dance and sing along.
‘L.O.V.E (Smile Please)’, taken from new album Smile, sees the venue littered with inflatable balls during the chorus. The evening also includes costume changes, call-and-response harmonising and Webbe remarking on their previous Manchester conquests during their 23 years as a band, just one of many story-time moments.
The crowd are given a welcome chance to cool down, as they’re encouraged to just listen, for an acoustic rendition of ‘Life That’s Free’ from the latest album.
A drum solo later and the insanity re-commences with an EDM remix of the now viral hit ‘Nobody’. Skindred close with an encore of ‘Warning’ where attendees strip off their shirts and helicopter along to end the night.
A Skindred live show strikes the perfect balance; spontaneous, but stable enough to keep the crowd hanging on every word, strum and bang. With a positively received headline show in Wembley just behind them, they’re clearly operating at their best right now.
Featured image: FX / Disney Press Following the premiere of the limited anthology series Love Story (directed by Ryan Murphy) on Disney+ earlier this February, show protagonists John F Kennedy Jr and Carolyn Bessette have become favourites for a new generation. Almost 30 years after their real-life untimely passing, the show’s popularity has unleashed a…
By Holly Lindsay and Amelie FalconerFeatured image: Jamie Taylor Remember nestling into your parents as they read you the worlds of Harry Potter, The Faraway Tree and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory? Unfortunately, not all children get the opportunity to create a lifelong love of reading, as 1 in 8 children in the UK currently…
Featured image: Leire Ribeiro I remember a time in music when a VIP concert ticket bundled with a meet-and-greet and early entry would not cost more than £150. Today, we have artists like Harry Styles selling tickets for £725 with no soundcheck and no meet-and-greet, the only bonus being good visibility at the show, which…
Featured image: Fabiola Gonzalez Prato Every single day I hear someone complaining about not being in a relationship. I go online and watch videos of people who are tired of going on dates with those who “only want a good time,” eventually deciding that staying single is for the best. These days, the reasons behind…
Leave a reply