Jac Holloway
UK based post-hardcore band As Everything Unfolds provide the punchy opening needed to start things off. The six piece are crammed onto the front of the stage and bring with them a whole sound complete with crunching guitars and synths all of which provide the perfect backdrop for vocalist Charlie Rolfe to shine. Her vocal technique and ability soars and weaves effortlessly between crushingly heavy screams and beautifully melodic cleans. It is in this vocal ability that the band have their placeholder in up and coming promising talent as it is this that largely sets them apart from other bands. The band’s debut album Within Each Lies The Other was released this year and doesn’t quite hold that same level of tenacity and passion that this evening’s performance demonstrated, but it’s a promising start.
Australian pop-punk band Yours Truly step up next and play to a mounting crowd. The band’s charming set of energy-infused singles bolstered by their 2020 debut release Self Care puts them in great stead and their addition to this tour is clearly greatly appreciated and received. They are unfortunately slightly stunted for the majority of the first half of their set as vocalist Mikaila Delgado is noticeably low in the mix and these slight sound issues aren’t rectified until the half way point. It’s a shame as the vocal ability demonstrated by her is effortless and soaring when the band get into full swing. Overall the set is as bouncy and fun as you’d expect and want from a main support slot. The band close on their breakout success single ‘High Hopes’ and the reception is absolutely huge. Consider the crowd adequately supercharged for the headline set of the evening.
Dim lights adorn the stage as it takes shape ready for headline act Holding Absence to step into a moment in their career that feels special. There is an atmosphere, a feeling in the air of heightened anticipation which has reached boiling point by the time Holding Absence enter the stage. Bolstered by the delays this tour has suffered as well as the incredible commercial and critical success of this year’s hit album, the band are able to walk out confidently in front of a crowd on their home ground and take their rightful place as South Wales’ flag-bearers of the genre.
It is no surprise that the band open with ‘Awake’ into ‘Celebration Song’, and following this ensues a barrage of hits that have the crowd supercharged and singing back every word. Playing through a number of songs off the new record including ‘Beyond Belief’, ‘nomoreroses’ and ‘Curse Me With Your Kiss’ but also including fan favourites into the set such as ‘Monochrome’, ‘Like a Shadow’ and ‘Gravity’ it is easy to forget the number of hits the band have had in their short career to date.
Holding Absence are clearly intent on making this tour a spectacle and are set on making the night a memorable one. There are a number of notable moments that include the band playing ‘Birdcage’ for the first time live and dropping a version of ‘In Circles’ played acoustic until the second verse. Rhythm guitarist on this tour is none other than Micheal McGough of Being As An Ocean and the vocal backing and harmonies are as absurdly melodic as you could imagine. However the highlight of the evening comes when Lucas Woodland brings his own Sister Caitlin Woodland to deliver a beautiful rendition of ‘Dying In Your Lovers Arms’. This one off moment is a truly special one.
As if this weren’t enough the tracks fades out with a drum outro which leads to a drum solo that feels more like a barrage from the hard-hitting unit that is Drummer Ashley Green but the crowd lap it up. The band return to the stage and kick into ‘Gravity’ followed by ‘Afterlife’. The moments in between are used by Woodland to thank every single fan present and speaks of the landmark event this is. Finishing on live favourite ‘Wilt’ with it’s slow build into an almighty crescendo provides the perfect end to the evening.
There was a unified passion in Y Plas, Cardiff on this evening, a camaraderie between band and fan that isn’t often felt to this degree. Every person in this room was either brimming with tears, screaming their lungs out, moshing or doing all three. You could feel a shared sense of pride both from and for Holding Absence. This was a night that those in attendance will hold dear for some time and a truly unforgettable experience for the band themselves.
