Austin Gold and Dead Reynolds
The Met Lounge, Peterborough
December 12
Dead Reynolds
Full disclosure - this aint our first Dead Reynolds rodeo. But these guys and gal get better every time we see them. And they were pretty fucking good in the first place. ‘Give us your energy, we’ll give it right back,’ encourages frontman Rossco Cornwell as he bounds around stage like a man possessed, jumping on and off all available surfaces. And tonight’s crowd don’t disappoint him. Clap, sing, bounce, wave, phone torches out, Rossco doesn’t need to ask The Met Lounge twice. The band’s trademark cover of ‘Let Me Entertain You’ sees the crowd swell and hears them scream, recent single ‘Hesitate’ sounds so good live, and confident rockers ‘Parasite’, ‘Animal’ and set opener ‘Hurricane’ are the band at full swagger. ‘Pieces’ has more melody but is in no way mellow – Dead Reynolds and their audience are too full of adrenaline to stand for anything resembling calm tonight. Even sad song ‘Fly Away’, which Rossco dedicates to ‘everyone who has lost someone,’ is loud and full of life. ‘Wake Up’ is a pulverising sorta pop song with a strong backbone of a beat. Rossco sings it from the pit, and the only surprise here is he’s managed to make it to this closing song until getting in with the crowd. On stage (or in the pit as the case may be) is where Dead Reynolds really come alive.
Austin Gold
The outside world doesn’t matter tonight kids. Dead Reynolds told us during their set, and not only do guitar-slinging, key explosion, classic rock kings Austin Gold reiterate this state of affairs, the feeling of forgetting everything except the music is thick in the air. Dirty great guitar solos for days drive into the heat of The Met Lounge tonight and into the hearts of the audience who eagerly move forward, willing to feel the force Austin Gold’s cleanly cut retro riffs. The songs are slick, the keys take the band into another stratosphere, and the sleaze simply oozes from these guys who know how to command a crowd. ‘Callin’ Time’ is an absolute cracker of a true rock n’ roll tune, coming across tonight as a frenzied high octane feel-good fest. ‘Hell or Highwater’ is backed by a bassline full of hefty intent and a melody which soars so damn high, all the while lead singer and guitarist David James Smith’s note perfect, lived-in, gracefully slung-out, gilded vocals - and hair for days - do nothing but elevate the situation. Early Christmas gift – brand new song ‘Give Em Nothing’ fires up hotter than a fucking nuclear blast. It’s heaveeeeeyyyy and exhilarating. ‘Cut & Run’ is pure good time good old fashioned rock which has everyone singing and swaying. The colossal riffs and cathartic lyrics of ‘We Are Lightning’ hit The Met Loung hard tonight – which is exactly what we want. ‘Never End’ is an album’s worth of sentiment in one song, and it brings the night to a close with clout, twinkling keys, a smooth guitar solo, and the vibe of a band and crowd who genuinely care for each other.
This was one helluva night driven by two bands who are at their very best live, and devoured by the friendliest of folk on the other side of the stage.
Austin Gold
Dead Reynolds
