Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes and Black Futures, Sin City (Polly)
This concert took place in Swansea’s Sin City, which is a small venue for a band with a dedicated following, a testament to the intimacy Frank Carter and his band aim to maintain with their fans. The support for the night were Black Futures (7) who set the atmosphere - a post-apocalyptic scene with two individuals dressed in white boiler suits waving flags of the bands logo and the letters N N N (Never. Not. Nothing). The punk duo incorporated industrial styling to their performance laced with breakdowns that leave the face gurning, it's this style that will quickly build a loyal fan-base. The crowd’s reaction to the band, maintained the Dystopian vibe the band clearly aim for with some of the most brutal mosh-pits I've seen at a non-metal event. Black Futures were strangers to me before last night but have stolen my heart and are definitely a band to follow.
For a frontman of a band that shows a zero-f*cks attitude, it is clear that Frank Carter and his Rattlesnakes most certainly do give a f*ck. From stage presence (or lack of in some songs) Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes (9) devote themselves to the music that they deliver and that can be shown throughout their performance. The set opens with Crowbar, released in January as a teaser for their upcoming album End Of Suffering (due for release in May this year). It seemed like business as usual for the devoted Rattlesnake following as the crowd erupted, which was impressive even though the song has not graced the public’s ears for long, but it was a theme throughout the performance with constant mosh pits, jumping, crowd surfing and singing along from the first moment. The zero-f*cks alter-ego Frank possesses was displayed proudly throughout the evening, from crowd walking whilst performing it is clear to see why their concerts are known to be legendary in the punk community, having previously seen them at Slamdunk festival I knew when this quaint tour was announced that it was not one to be missed.
The band opened up their softer side to the audience by addressing sexual harassment at concerts and that if there are any women who have wanted to try crowd surfing but has been wary to do so for fear of being groped, they can do so in a safe environment at their shows. The crowd praised the band for their values on a raw subject with claps and cheers leading to many leaping at the opportunity to crowd surf (including myself). The encouragement to crowd surf added to the liberating experience the band never fails to provide from the venom and power put into the lyrics of their songs that each appear to be personal on many levels. On the topic of getting personal, Frank interacts with the audience by asking if anyone has suffered with anxiety or knows someone that has. He goes on to discuss how anxiety has affected him and the inspiration behind many songs that he has written, including Anxiety which is included on their upcoming album. The band capture a sense of belonging that many can only seek at concerts.
The band concluded with the iconic I Hate You, where the crowd screamed along. The roar from the venue gave evidence to how fantastic Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes are as a band. They dance on the fine line of humility and arrogance to show that punk is still alive and breathing.
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