Live Review: Defeatist, Lonesome and Sydney Fate | The Moon, Cardiff | 03/09/2021
As the lights dimmed in one of Cardiff's most loved venues, there was a distinct tension in the air as doors opened. The sounds of a busy Womanby Street instantly filled the room, as ticket holders flocked through the doors in the hope of an early pint.
Sydney Fate
Many of us are slowly growing accustomed to the return of live music, throwing ourselves into any venue that has tickets spare on the door – however for Cardiff post-hardcore outfit Defeatist, last Friday’s headline set was something much more special.
Over the course of the last two years there have been a lot of highs and lows in the Defeatist camp; the band have transformed their lineup, been forced to cancel tours, and are now just kicking off the next step in their journey. Since the release of their recent EP Closure the band have amassed a strong following both in the online community and within their local circles. Since the EP campaign first began with lead single ‘Mother’ in 2020, the local circuit has been crying out to see the band crammed on stage behind four walls – and there’s no setting more intimate than The Moon Club.
Kicking things off as the opener, there was no better choice than South Wales alternative-metal collective Sydney Fate. Usually a 7 piece live show, there was an air of intrigue when the band took to the stage as a five man band – however any scepticism from the audience was quickly overshadowed by a crushing performance, and a tribute to their debut full length Silicon Nitride. Crowd engagement is notably one of the band’s strong suits as every member of the audience was instantly stage side & attentive, and as the venue continued to fill there was a distinct number instantly stopping to watch instead of making a beeline straight for the bar. The blend of screams and cleans from both vocalists complimented each other perfectly, and the band’s chemistry on stage is reminiscent of artists decades into their career, as opposed to a band still relatively in their infancy.
Score: 8/10
Lonesome
Despite this being a Defeatist headline tour, there is no doubt that many of the run’s ticket holders will be waiting in earnest for their 30 minute dose of Lonesome. The Peterborough five piece formed from the ashes of their previous project That Night Forests Grew and have been on a high ever since. Their set on Friday night consisted of their debut EP To Myself, from Myself in addition to their latest single ‘Inure’ which was released the same night, and the band delivered a captivating performance throughout. Assisted visually by an extravagant light show, Lonesome held the room’s attention for the entirety of their stage time and left the entire venue calling for more. The record’s fourth track ‘Be Strong’ was a stunning highlight, and the band carried themselves with a professionalism far beyond their years. Whether you’ve seen them before or Friday was your very first time, it’s clear that this is a band utterly dedicated to their craft. This is a band heading for much larger venues, and everyone needs to jump on board for the start of that ride.
Score: 9/10
Defeatist
The main event was certainly a spectacle, the only negative being that their set was not long enough. Defeatist took to the stage with an undeniable energy, and performed the entirety of Closure in full alongside a new unreleased piece of material. ‘Oceans Apart’ had the audience instantly banging heads and ‘Skin Deep’ was a notable favourite. It was clear from the intermittent stage banter from vocalist Jacob Enyon that every member of the band was thoroughly stoked to be back doing what they love. Hometown shows are always special for the bands on the bill, and headlines even more so.
‘Mother’ was the perfect closing choice, the ambience of the song’s introduction slipped into every corner of the room, and seemed to bring everyone together on the same level for a beautiful finale. We can say from first hand experience that the only time any one of those ticket holders seemed disappointed was when the band laid down their instruments following cries for “One More Song”, and the remaining two dates on the tour would have no doubt generated the same enthusiasm from their attendees.
Score: 9/10