For a completely different experience, I was once again attending a night of Pop-Punk goodness. While this may sound awfully usual to many, tonight I was at the HMV Empire in Coventry (woo no trains!) for Hot Milk’s headline show, with support from Crashface and Delaire The Liar. After the venue opened the doors almost 25 minutes late and seeing the horrifically small photo pit, I was in luck as at least it was only 5 minutes until the opening act.
First up we’re Crashface, an incredibly loud, energetic punk 4 piece that quickly woke the crowd up from their slumber with their onslaught of fast riffs paired with tight musicianship and great stage presence. What I loved most though was the band’s sound, calling back to the likes of early 2000s Hardcore punk (think of Orchestra of Wolves era Gallows). It’s definitely been a long time since I’ve seen an opening act as strong as Crashface, and it truly doesn’t seem long until they’re headlining this place.
Up next we’re Delaire The Liar, an energetic onslaught of DIY punk that held no punches as the band tore the building apart. From the frantic riffs, and incredible stage presence from singer Ffin Colley, they managed to captivate the crowd with ease. With a set that truly felt like an experience as Ffin stated at the start, I was completely blown away by a band that to this point I had never heard of.
After a short change over, the night’s main event Hot Milk took the stage to a cheer louder than I’ve heard in venues with 2500+cap. From the moment they hit the stage, the atmosphere in the room changed to one of the most positive vibes I’ve had the pleasure of witnessing alongside one of the best performances I’ve seen this year. From playing a new song to all of the fans, The set’s highlight for me was definitely I Just Want To Know What Happens When I’m Dead. It was one of those rare sets where everything about the performance was as close to perfect as I could imagine.
After making sure my sister got home okay (shoutout Abby, your music taste is 100% better than it use to be), I headed back home ecstatic and buzzing for the first time in ages from a show. With 2 genuinely great support bands and Hot Milk playing one of the best sets I’ve seen this year, what was most impressive was how safe the show felt. At no point in the night did I feel anything but love and good energy from everyone in attendance. If Hot Milk are a sign of things to come within the Pop-Punk genre, then it’s definitely being left in suitable hands.
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