‘Party Cannon’ isn’t a name I would typically associate with slam metal, let alone Scottish slam metal but here we are. With self-deprecating song titles such as “There’s A Reason You’re Single” and “Tactical Chunder” they have created a brand for themselves that ignites the crowds passion in music, bringing together a community and overall creating a personal experience.
Vast Slug were the first on, a Norwich based 4-piece slam band that are the perfect opening act for a headliner. They like to incorporate well known events and scandals in their music – “Madeleine McCann-Can” and “Coronasaurus Rex” being my personal favourites. One thing about this band that made me enjoy them was how they interacting with each other on stage, especially the banter they had about not having a drummer and not needing one, which creates a recognisable trope to look out for at future gigs, and something the audience were able to join in with. They were able to treat the crowd like friends and equals and managed to get a pit going on the second song of their set – this band is definitely on my list to see again and again and I am looking forward to see what they do on their upcoming album Driving Music. I managed to get an exclusive insight into their tracklist for this album, including songs “Mega Karen” and “Unidentified Flying Geezer”.
If you like what we do, consider joining us on Patreon for as little as £1 per month!
Godeater were next up and they are what I can only describe as a strange mix of members, some of which do not strike me as being in a band so heavy. But that’s what I liked the most about them, the element of surprise they communicated on stage and the level of focus they obtained to complete complex riffs and beats. With their latest album Vespera they delve into deep and emotional lyrics about personal relations with ourselves and how we view the world. My favourite from this album has to be “Backwash” – an lyrically beautiful song that admit the worst thoughts we may have about ourselves and the walls people can put up to defend how they truly feel. Godeater are a band that despite their different styles unite together to create music everyone can relate to and may even better themselves from.
Don’t fancy Patreon? Buy us a one-off beverage!
And finally we had the headliners – Party Cannon themselves. I can confidently say I’ve never been to a gig where I’ve had an inflatable dolphin thrown directly in my face but after this gig it’s one to cross off the bucket list. I was shooting this gig against a metal grate with no separation from me and the crowd, yet the band’s attitude and respect shined through to the crowd and I had people protect me and my equipment, and even got invited on stage a few times to get the best shots.
There were people playing with beach balls, someone riding an inflatable dolphin, countless circle pits, a push up competition and the singer posing for photos with the crowd mid-set. I can tell this band has had a lot of stage experience and they have the upmost respect and admiration for the crowds that fill their shows. This was for sure the best way to end the week – a Sunday evening at The Waterfront, Norwich with 170 metalheads moshing together; Party Cannon are a band I would highly recommend people get on their radars.
You can see them at Incineration Fest London, a 4-venue festival in the heart of Camden on Saturday 13th May 2023.
Photos by Chloe Sibley
