This was a gig I was really excited about. As a band my dad and I share a common love of, and we’ve had tickets since the show was first announced, we were eager to enjoy a long overdue father-son catch up to the tune of our favourite Glasgow heavy rockers Attica Rage.
Opening the night was upcoming heavy hitters Titan Breed (6). We arrived to the venue quite late so we only caught the last two songs, and as a result I feel my review is rather unfair, but from what I saw Titan Breed were the heaviest band of the night. They exhibited a crushing sound which was primarily groovy with the occasional thrashing moment. The band, the vocalist in particular, performed with enthusiasm and we’re certainly enjoying the gig.
The crowd response was rather mixed. Some audience members were getting into the music but most were simply watching and nodding their heads. It seems that Titan Breed were relatively unknown but they performed well and hopefully earned some new fans. For me, Titan Breed are definitely a band that I’ll need to familiarise myself with and watch again in the future.
After a quick changeover, local hard rockers Mason Hill (8) took to the stage. They commanded the stage and the audience as if they were rock legends who had filled a stadium. The performance was energetic and the crowd went wild. There were raised fists and singalongs, particularly to the ballad “Where I Belong”.
The band had excellent stage presence and the singer engaged with the crowd with ease. Showcasing songs from their self-titled EP such as “Survive” and “Broken Son” as well as a cover of Mountain’s “Mississippi Queen”, Mason Hill blew the ABC2 away with their brand of hard rock. They’re a band destined for great things and they’re definitely one to watch in the future.
Finally headliners Attica Rage (7) took to the stage. It was rather strange since it seemed as if a large number of the crowd had left, which overall took away from the atmosphere of the show. From the first note of “Beyond the 45”, it seemed as if Attica Rage weren’t quite on top of their game. There was something missing from the performance that made them seem pale in comparison to their predecessors.
However, Attica Rage still played a good gig with a great setlist composed of songs from throughout their career. The crowd reacted well with plenty of flailing heads, screams and shouts permeating the air to songs like “Killer Carousel”, “Warheads LTD”, a cover of The Osmonds’ “Crazy Horses” and “Dark City”.
It pains me to say that Attica Rage didn’t perform their best at this show, especially when they ruled the last time I saw them at Bloodstock. However they still played a good, fun show and a great time was had by all. Until next time…
Pics from the Duffy’s, Leicester gig by Chris Newbold
