Yellow Weather Warning launch party

Dead Reynolds, For the Forsaken, Keep This Up

The Met Lounge, Peterborough

Saturday, April 25

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Keep This Up

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Post hardcore emo screamo destroyers Keep This Up set about tearing down the Met Lounge. They slot in a slightly mellow soundscape occasionally but these boys are clearly lifelong followers of the philosophy ‘if it’s not heavy, it’s not happening’. Keep This Up are brutal. They throw a noose around the Met Lounge and pull tighter and tighter until we’re willingly choking on their unrelenting throat-shredding, ear-splitting set. Sick of having to use the socials to justify their presence as a band, wrath-tastic ‘Social Suicide’, is a hymn we can all get on board with. It’s a metalcore malice spitter signing off with an instrumental clamour that’s off the scale. We love a cover over here at Goth Girl Writing, and ending this colossal set by throwing inflatable bananas into the crowd, demanding a ‘Banana Pit’ and trampling all over Gwen’s ‘Hollaback Girl’ is both inspired and truly terrifying at the same time. Oh, and bold choice of tee btw. But it ain’t bragging if you can back it up…

 

For the Forsaken

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For the Forsaken’s fucked up family gathering gets underway with low end heavy ‘Wonderlight’ rattling around the Met Louge. Looking like they’re having the time of their lives on stage, while Dan sings about the lowest points of his, the guys get down to throwing out chunky riffs, stadium-worthy guitar solos and demolishing beats. ‘Hole in my Soul’s’ chorus is soaring and backing vocals are shouty (yay!!). The stage is crackling with the band’s intensity and the crowd are coming in closer, flexing those neck muscles ready to either nod along (‘Project Providence’ provides the ideal opportunity) or full on headbang (absolutely storming ‘Bring the Fire’). There’s serious stuff in their songs, but these boys never bring you down. For the Forsaken are about hope, hard heavy rock and rising back up. Their next stop is Call of the Wild (same for Dead Reynolds) and the fields of rural Lincolnshire are not gonna know what’s hit them – let alone the festival-goers who haven’t had their formal For the Forsaken initiation. Yet…

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Dead Reynolds

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Sprinting on to the stage and starting up with ‘Let Me Entertain You’ says more about Dead Reynolds’ album launch party than yer girl ever can. It’s a Robbie Williams cover, it’s a set staple, and it’s what the band aspire to every single show. And they always over achieve. Especially tonight. It’s like a birthday party in the Met Lounge. There’s no cake mind you, but nobody panic. We’ve had three great bands, a confetti cannon, and there’s beer! Lead singer Rossco is either front of stage, on the barrier or in with the crowd. He checks in with the rest of the Dead Reynolds boys and girl now and then, but there’s no need. They know what needs doing and keep their high octane/all thrills/zero rest rock sound coming loud, full force and fierce, while Rossco pours his soul into the songs. A born band leader, he’s sweating buckets by the second song. Dead Reynolds live to give, and they’re here tonight not just to relish every second of their record launch, but to also give their crowd a night we’ll never forget. And this gig is electrifying. Rossco often tells audiences he feeds off their energy, so there’s a high chance he’s still bounding around. Because it doesn’t dip once. The set never slows. DR don’t do anything less than full on. The instantly memorable chorus of ‘Parasite’ rings out loud, and when fan fave ‘Animal’ drops, we’re only five songs in but everyone is already giving it their all. Band and fans. The lyrics to ‘Hideaway’ are super poignant tonight. Closing the night with arms aloft anthem ‘Wake Up’, it feels like no one wants the party to end. But Dead Reynolds are a band made for the stage, and we now have their brand new album to keep us going until they’re right back up there again.