That melodic rock is a quality The Subways 100% embody. Over the last few years my interest in a broad spectrum of styles and genres of music has intensified. Coupled with the intrinsic first-time soft-spot for an energetic party gig, I was excited for last night's offering. The Subway's brought their energetic show to the HMV Ritz in Manchester, with support from Royal Republic and Turbowolf, and I was privileged to be in attendance.
Opening the show as first support were Turbowolf, a high-intensity, all-guns-blazing rock band. Not my bag really, but there were plenty in the crowd who were well and truly worshipping their up-front attitude to music. We only caught the last few tunes, teeming with rebellious guitars and defiant vocals. Certainly a band to shake the cobwebs off.
For some reason, the last few weeks of my life have seen me mature into a very old man. I'm 19, yet I have a car a 40yr old would drive, and through choice I may have spent the majority of the gig watching with my girlfriend from the balcony rather than moshing around in the pit. There really is no explanation, apart from the bar being close and it gave us an opportunity to have a chat in changeovers without communicating through a sweaty metalhead bouncing around in front of us.
But something that did get us up and moving was second support band Royal Republic. Walking on stage to an epic fanfare, breathing confidence and quality, they sure did offer up quite a spectacle. The lead singer was the star of the show. Immediately I thought he was the Hoff. His hair slicked back with a full-on deal of product in it, leather jacket, tight jeans, handlebar tash...he opitimised the look of a chap who owns the stage. And he did.
Their lead guitarist rewrote the riff rulebook, the bassist produced a frenzy of earth-shattering licks and the dude on the drums teamed up with Mr Hoff for a drum duet to blow your socks off. The outstanding thing about this band was their superior live quality. When we got back in from the gig we immediately googled them and played through their music videos, all of which display a comical vibe that was amplified on stage by their jovial interludes and stop-joke-start approach to their songs. What we'd stumbled on here is a refreshing breed of band who, on the eve of a landing a record deal, wouldn't hand a rep their CD, they'd instead warmly invite them down to the live gig for a true showcase of their undeniable talent. Or if they don't do that, they should. Their main appeal lies in live entertainment, that's the best way to play it!
In extremely high spirits after Royal Republic's set, we were eagerly awaiting The Subway's anticipated headline slot. I'd been aware of The Subways music since 2008's All Or Nothing album and kept tabs on their single releases. I remember being shocked at how much of a party vibe rock music could encompass, the rock and metal I'd been aware of up until that release had been very gritty, deep and powerful. There's no traditional 'dancing' at a Killswitch Engage gig for example.
The Subway's latest offerings have sounded very fresh, It's A Party and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, the latest singles sounding original and very vibey. Whatever they've been doing in the studio has got to have been good because when they came on stage...I was amazed that there were only 3 members of the band! The drums and bass were great, both were melodic and complex, so they made up for the fact there was only one guitarist tackling both rhythm roles and providing those tasty licks to keep things interesting. To be truthful, he tackled it well! Royal Republic were so intriguing because a song would be developing at a steady rate before some insane guitar riff would bound forward and captivate... Having said that...................
.....it's important to appreciate The Subway's for what they are. The headline act of a big gig in Manchester, with a huge fan base and a massive repertoire of songs. They perform with a refreshing buzz that is contagious for the entire crowd. The lead singer was crowd-surfing, at one point racing up to the balcony where we were positioned to jump down into the crowd, rock'n'roll!
The female bassist was great to watch. They'd designed their stage so there was plenty of room to sprint around and unleash the energy. In all fairness one has to admire the way they create such an exciting vibe with only 3 instruments, it's hard, but they've mastered the art- great musicianship. On-the-whole they capitalised on their minimalistic approach and (myself included), nobody was really complaining! Their stage-presence again was very strong, they completely commanded their space. They bantered with the crowd, teasing them with well-known numbers and showcasing the exciting sound of their new album. The singles went down like a sugar in a brew, creating very much the party-like atmosphere their new music deserves.
Really good gig, but without the stage antics, banter and the ambience of a hard-core following, the 3-piece would be in danger reproducing the same indie/punk rock components throughout the gig, potentially making the show repetitive... Fortunately, they do have a sound presence when they do their thing, and they do it well! In fact.. I don't think this band will ever be in danger of going stale! I enjoyed it, great feel-good vibe.
