Boston Manor // Trophy Eyes // Split Chain // Live Review // Rock City // Nottingham

Boston Manor // Trophy Eyes // Split Chain // Live Review // Rock City // Nottingham

I have been trying to catch this band for months. They had a gig in Sheffield, but I missed it. So now is my shot. Boston Manor is playing today at Nottingham and I have heard SO MANY good things about this band.

Split Chain was the opener today.  The band is described as “a refreshing balance of Shoegaze, Grunge and Nu-Metal to the UK’s ever-growing alternative musical landscape.” The band came out with great energy to open the night and though the room was still being filled, I could see people were being attentive to their sound. With a beer in hand, people were finding themselves slowly inching closer to the stage. I later realized that a big part of why the crowd wasn’t that full yet was probably because the doors opened at 6:30 pm…our opener started at 6:40 pm. Not sure about the schedule but luckily a good portion of people were able to catch their set.

The members all really added to the crowd interaction. The guitarists were going for it, which would feed the energy of the crowd, and the vocalist would chat to the audience egging them on to get them pumped. The music of the band had a really good mix to it, with some electric and heavy blends with vocals that were stable and clear with some really nice grit.

Trophy Eyes took the stage within a really quick turnaround. I can’t lie. The Australian 4-piece punk rock band came on with the confidence of a headliner. Their popularity is something I didn’t realize until I saw the crowd going absolutely feral for them. One part of the barrier in particular, a group of young girls, absolutely singing their hearts out and giving about 110% energy. The crowd even gave us our first mosh pit and crowd surfer of the night.

Usually, punk isn’t really my thing. But there’s something about Trophy Eyes that brings you in. The enthusiasm the fans have also adds to the intrigue they bring on stage. I usually find punk to be quite…whiney…but the band have a more mature vibe to their lyrics and the musicality on stage is clear from the get-go. They almost, ALMOST, remind me of The Blackout but pre-The Storm era. Almost.

There wasn’t really much talking to the audience. The band passed off the energy instead by jumping and moshing with the crowd in the pit. The guitarists were constantly on the move in their places, and the drummer was moshing his head so hard, that I’m surprised he doesn’t have whiplash. The vocalist had stable vocals and was content moving and swinging his fists at that middle spot on the stage.

Boston Manor are a rock band hailing from Blackpool. The band have been around since 2013 and have been steadily gaining a devoted fan base. The band has this alternative sound about them with this common droning bass and gritty harsh vocals. The vocals would go from hard to soft, depending on how recent the song was released. The newer music seemed to have more experimental tones to it, with more synth and heavier guitar.

The crowd had this weird thing about them where abouts 90% were singing along, yet maybe only 30% actually moved from their spot. Probably the product of a midweek gig AND during Freshers which meant an earlier curfew. The HEADLINER band came on at 8:30pm. Bro…we’re gonna be in bed by 11pm. Who’d have thought? Saying this, when the singer of Trophy Eyes came out for a feature, it was like the Boston Manor fans and Trophy Eyes fans became one and suddenly the volume and energy of the crowd was turned up.

The vocalist did great at hyping the crowd. At one point stepping from the stage to the barrier. A crowd surge followed as people desperately tried to reach him. He would add ad libs to the songs and tell people to jump as the song drops, you could tell he feels the music when he performs live with his facial expressions and demeanor. The guitarists were giving a great performance too, it would’ve been great to see them move about the stage a bit more but space is obviously limited with 5 members and a drum kit on a platform.

Boston Manor has the potential to become a staple within the UK music scene. The band released their latest album “Sundiver” this year and will be touring it til December within the UK and EU. Trophy Eyes and Split Chain will be finishing this tour in the UK and heading on their own EU run.

Review & Photography: Jayne Slater