It’s been a long time since I was stood downstairs at Clwb Ifor Bach waiting eagerly for some hotly tipped metal bands to take the stage.
Main support comes from Death Blooms, who recently grabbed headlines when a fan was denied an AirBnB booking because of their “aggressive” music. Vocalist Paul gets the crowd riled up and roams around the floor like a wind-up toy let loose. Before they break into ‘Filth’ Paul confronts the people talking at the bar asking them to shut up and then coincidentally telling us the next song is about arseholes. Short but sweet the Liverpool metal outfit have warmed the room up nicely.
Blood Youth open with ‘Iron Lung’, one of two new singles they’ve recently released since 2019 album ‘Starve’. The band have recently undergone a vocalist change and taking over the reigns is Harry, who has already worked with band in the past. He fits in seamlessly and appears on stage wearing coveralls with a tapped black armband. Harry intensely stares the crowd down before preaching about how tough the last two years have been and takes a moment to appreciate people taking the time to come out tonight.
The crowd needs no instruction to get intimate and get head banging. There’s an air in the room that people are just happy to be back at concerts, although some play it cautious understandably, most are ready to have their metal cravings fulfilled. Blood Youth’s mix of melodic choruses and breakdowns keeps the fans singing and the heads moving. Despite the recent band member change and the never ending pandemic the chemistry between the band and fans has remained strong.
They end with Cells, their most recent single, a dark emotional ride and fitting end to the set. It’s a strong performance from the band in still seemingly strange times.
Setlist:
Iron Lung
Body of Wire
Playing the Victim
Keep You Alive
Colony3
Nerve
Hate
Starve
Cells
Catch Blood Youth live next year on a co-headline tour with Cane Hill.
21.02.22 – Glasgow, G2
22.02.22 – Manchester, Rebellion
23.02.22 – Leeds, The Key Club
24.02.22 – London, The Underworld
25.02.22 – Southampton, The Joiners
26.02.22 – Bristol, The Exchange
27.02.22 – Birmingham, Mama Roux’s
8/10
