Noizze
Opening the show were Scottish locals, Below The Neck from Inverness. This group of lads have seen their fair share of action and toured the UK a few times now on different hardcore packages, but this marked a monumental step forward in their career. Taking to the stage early, their energy was abundant in every aspect, with members prowling the stage like hungry dogs eager to prove what they’re capable of. From the first song, the entire crowd in the venue was on side and eager to show their energy and dance moves in return for the pummelling breakdowns and bouncy 2-step sections. There was something about the quartet on stage that was so reminiscent of a younger Knocked Loose. Perhaps it was the songs themselves, the love for the music they were playing, having something to prove, or even just the sheer amount of style on display. Needless to say, the crowd was receptive, opening some insane pits extending far beyond what you’d see for a local support. It’s clear that these lads won’t be considered local for too much longer, as we expect Below The Neck will be a household name of the UK scene soon enough.
Following on as main support were UK heavyweights Heriot, bringing their signature abrasive sound of raw anger being passed through a HM-2 pedal to the Garage. Things in the room were really starting to heat up now although Heriot presented a welcomed change of pace from the opener. Their onstage aggression was restrained, calculated and oppressive, taking much more from their death metal influences than the chaos of hardcore. Vocalist Debbie Gough kept the pace steady for the set with her mix of indignant screams and siren-like singing, bringing in massive, skull shattering breakdowns to keep the crowd on their toes. The feeling in the room was oppressive as each song hit the audience like a crashing wave in a storm, and with sweat now permeating the air as much as it was dripping from the ceiling, the band finished their set having fully prepared the crowd for the destruction still to come.
Every modern metalcore fan knows who Thrown are at this point. Their mix of trap beats and caveman riffs have earned them the reputation of being the prime example of the ‘pissed-core’ style. While the anticipation in the room was tangible, no one was fully prepared for what was about to happen. The 4 members walked on to an almost empty stage setup, immediately showing that they were not here to mess around, and then with a singular note the room erupted. The Glasgow Garage main room has a capacity of 700 people, and it is no exaggeration to say that easily around 200 people formed what may probably be the largest mosh pit the venue has seen in the last decade. When considering what it felt like to be in that room as they played fan favourites like ‘Grayout’, ‘Guilt’ and ‘On The Verge’, the image that comes to mind is that it was 700 people trapped in a sauna together while being blasted by the loudest sounds you’ve ever heard. Their set was 40 minutes of pure chaos, with security working overtime to catch crowd surfers while the rest of the Glasgow scene showed off their moves in the pit. Every song managed to scratch the same itch that they do on the record, except everything was turned up past 11 in the room. Thrown are truly a force to behold and Scotland will be very eager to have them back.