Mother Vulture, Our Last Goodbye & Baby Schillaci, The Bunkhouse Swansea, 15.10.23
Over to Swansea and the excellent Bunkhouse venue (anywhere that does Irn Bru on tap is high on my list) and it was another showcase of diverse acts from the rock sphere. Two locals and a headliner who are soon to reach their next level very very soon.
On to that later, as first up were Baby Schillaci (9) who have become something all together more primordial in their approach, the punk strains I'd seen from them on my previous viewing undulating into sublime post-rock, noise, shoegazing where atmospheric, emotional quietness is punched through with throbbing bass hooks, spikey riffs and anguake guitars. Like New Order forced to coexist with Echo And The Bunnymen while playing a gig with Jon Spencer's Blues Explosion.
From the brilliant use of electronic drums and analogue percussion from Tom Williams, to the captivating performance of their wild eyed frontman/guitarist Tom Richards, the louche sneer of their guitarist/vocalist Richie Lewis and wildness of their bassist Andrew Evans, bonus points for the NWO Wolfpack shirt, as they do have a song called Dead Wrestlers. Baby Schillaci kept my jaw on the floor for their set, a wondrous way to begin.
Next to the stage were fourpiece Our Last Goodbye (8) they throw back to the early 2000's as soaring, gothy vocals top some groovy, alt-metal. Reminding me of early Lacuna Coil or Breaking Benjamin, their songs all carrying emotional, personal angst from the life of singer Bethany O'Mahoney who is a great singer and fronts the band well with all the moves and attitude of a rock singer. The rhythm section of Kian Hawkes' drumming and Sam Bennet's bass adds thick, nu-metal/alt metal grooves as guitarist Matt Alessandro wields between choppy riffs and melodic fluid solos. The band return to Swansea for their EP release and I'll be there for sure.
Then it was time for the main event, Bristol based 'feral punk blues' act Mother Vulture (10) again were let loose on a venue and did their best to destroy both it and themselsves. To use a line from Mr Sheldon at the Bunkhouse "If AC/DC and Cancer Bats had a bastard love child, it would be Mother Vulture" I'd add to that if that love child jammed Rage Against The Machine and Royal Blood while bursting to the gunnels with E-Numbers.
Having played Arctangent, Bloodstock, Lollapalooza, Georgi Valentine (vocals), Brodie Maguire (guitar), Chris Simpson (bass) and Matt West (drums) are one of the wildest live acts I've ever scene. The experience they have gained giving them synchronisation beneath what looks like absolute chaos. Chris and Brodie taking it in turns to throw themselves around in the crowd, looking like a lawsuit waiting to happen, Matt treating his kit as if it's hurt him in a past life. It's Georgi though who is in the eye of the storm his bandmates exploding like fireworks around him while he screams, wails hollers with the stage presence of a serial killer.
Playing most of the songs from their debut album Mother Knows Best, there would be some variation as it breakdown into Bulls On Parade, tracks such as Down The Rabbit Hole which is a perfect opener evolving into Monster Crunch and others, the pace only broken with the pauses for breath and goading of the Swansea crowd to go wild on a Sunday night. Mother Vulture are a band that need to be seen live to be truly experienced. If Itchy & Scratchy made a rock band, it would be Mother Vulture.
Massive props to the Midnight Tornado team for organising this gig, I'm definitely looking forward to many others that you have in store.
On to that later, as first up were Baby Schillaci (9) who have become something all together more primordial in their approach, the punk strains I'd seen from them on my previous viewing undulating into sublime post-rock, noise, shoegazing where atmospheric, emotional quietness is punched through with throbbing bass hooks, spikey riffs and anguake guitars. Like New Order forced to coexist with Echo And The Bunnymen while playing a gig with Jon Spencer's Blues Explosion.
From the brilliant use of electronic drums and analogue percussion from Tom Williams, to the captivating performance of their wild eyed frontman/guitarist Tom Richards, the louche sneer of their guitarist/vocalist Richie Lewis and wildness of their bassist Andrew Evans, bonus points for the NWO Wolfpack shirt, as they do have a song called Dead Wrestlers. Baby Schillaci kept my jaw on the floor for their set, a wondrous way to begin.
Next to the stage were fourpiece Our Last Goodbye (8) they throw back to the early 2000's as soaring, gothy vocals top some groovy, alt-metal. Reminding me of early Lacuna Coil or Breaking Benjamin, their songs all carrying emotional, personal angst from the life of singer Bethany O'Mahoney who is a great singer and fronts the band well with all the moves and attitude of a rock singer. The rhythm section of Kian Hawkes' drumming and Sam Bennet's bass adds thick, nu-metal/alt metal grooves as guitarist Matt Alessandro wields between choppy riffs and melodic fluid solos. The band return to Swansea for their EP release and I'll be there for sure.
Then it was time for the main event, Bristol based 'feral punk blues' act Mother Vulture (10) again were let loose on a venue and did their best to destroy both it and themselsves. To use a line from Mr Sheldon at the Bunkhouse "If AC/DC and Cancer Bats had a bastard love child, it would be Mother Vulture" I'd add to that if that love child jammed Rage Against The Machine and Royal Blood while bursting to the gunnels with E-Numbers.
Having played Arctangent, Bloodstock, Lollapalooza, Georgi Valentine (vocals), Brodie Maguire (guitar), Chris Simpson (bass) and Matt West (drums) are one of the wildest live acts I've ever scene. The experience they have gained giving them synchronisation beneath what looks like absolute chaos. Chris and Brodie taking it in turns to throw themselves around in the crowd, looking like a lawsuit waiting to happen, Matt treating his kit as if it's hurt him in a past life. It's Georgi though who is in the eye of the storm his bandmates exploding like fireworks around him while he screams, wails hollers with the stage presence of a serial killer.
Playing most of the songs from their debut album Mother Knows Best, there would be some variation as it breakdown into Bulls On Parade, tracks such as Down The Rabbit Hole which is a perfect opener evolving into Monster Crunch and others, the pace only broken with the pauses for breath and goading of the Swansea crowd to go wild on a Sunday night. Mother Vulture are a band that need to be seen live to be truly experienced. If Itchy & Scratchy made a rock band, it would be Mother Vulture.
Massive props to the Midnight Tornado team for organising this gig, I'm definitely looking forward to many others that you have in store.