Featured image and gallery: Sally Stretch
Hungry, Cutscene and Funeralcare take centre stage for Manchester and Liverpool-based BOOT Magazine’s 14th issue launch, showcasing some of the most exciting emerging music from the North West.
Manchester band Funeralcare open the night at The Rat & Pigeon, drenched in deep red lighting in the small yet lively room. From the first note, their sound is smooth yet upbeat, setting everyone’s knees bouncing. Every member is indulged in the music, taking up any space they can with their bodies, encouraging the audience to follow. They have a particular energy about them, lost in the music as if they’re the only people in the room, and it’s beautiful to watch. Their performance sets the tone for the night; by the last song, the energy on stage and in the crowd is 100%.
Next up, Cutscene shift the atmosphere entirely. The red light disappears, replaced by a projection of cinematic scenes lighting them from the back. The music is louder, sharper, and the crowd really starts to come alive. They play to each other, each other’s energy bouncing off the other, and the crowd feels it too. The music mellows, but not for long; it builds back up, and so does the light. The band bounce around the stage as the crowd pounds the floor, vibrations rippling through the wood while the lights flicker, flare and jump colours. Everything comes together perfectly.
Headliners Hungry – Manchester-based but originally from Cambridge – bring the night to its peak. Their set opens with a repeated chant: “There used to be life here,” setting a charged, almost ritualistic tone. By now, the crowd is energised. Every member gives their all to this performance and the crowd is giving it back. Mosh pits erupt and reform throughout the set; the band’s lead joins the crowd, bringing the energy from the stage to the floor. The crowd is tightly packed, they’re immersed in the music, completely absorbed.
In one of the night’s most unexpected moments, while the band repeats “I wanna make sweet love to you baby,” Cutscene’s bassist crowd surfs across the audience – an image which sums up exactly how the music should be enjoyed. Hungry end their set with the same energy they started it with. They have complete control of the crowd, and during the final minutes of their set, they part the crowd for the ultimate mosh pit. By the end of the show, the lead’s glasses are steamed up.
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