Dayseeker, Rain City Drive & Heart Of Gold - Albert Hall, Manchester, 10.12.24
I arrived early to Albert Hall to interview Matt and Zachery from Rain City Drive before the gig (more on this later!). So, my first impression of Albert Hall, although quiet at the moment, is that it's beautiful and it filled me with excitement for the gig later. There was a decorated Christmas tree on the right side of the stage and stained-glass windows framing the walls of the upper story. For this sold-out show, I could envision how crowded this venue was going to be later.
I hadn't heard of Heart Of Gold (5) before, albeit I appreciate discovering new bands via support acts. Heart Of Gold were instantly met with cheers when they walked on stage and the head bobbing started as soon as they kicked it off with Stranger (To Your Love). The singer exclaimed that they feel the love in Manchester as every song from their recent release Human Nature, was written in Ezra & Grill coffee shop in the Northern Quarter. During the last song, the crowd put their phone lights on and swayed to See Through. Overall, they displayed a more mellow vibe compared to Dayseeker and Rain City Drive but still provided energy, especially from the bassist.
Rain City Drive (9) are my #2 most played artist of 2025, so this was a momentous occasion for me to finally see them live and they didn't disappoint. As soon as the crowd caught sight of them getting ready for the stage, they were roaring. Matt's clear vocals "I thought the ending was the worst of all." from their song Frozen illuminated the venue. I got goose bumps. A perfect way to hype the crowd up from the start. RCD performed a mixture of old songs from To Better Days and Rain City Drive and newer ones from Things Are Different Now.
One of the stand outs for me was when Rory (of Dayseeker) came on stage to perform Medicate Me. The crowd erupted, people who were sat down stood up and it was a stellar live performance. This is the song where I personally discovered both RCD and Dayseeker. Thematically, the lights cascaded in blue throughout the set, except for songs from To Better Days, where it shrouded the stage in orange/red. Visually, I understood why but my photos didn't come out great (but that could be my old phone camera). I would have loved to have heard Concrete Closure as its one of my favourites from their recent album. RCD put on an unforgettable polished stage that I will treasure.
The lights dimmed and the background visual effects blasted on illuminated the crowd in blue and pink. Rory’s "Always told me to keep you close. The feeling's fading when you're a ghost" from Dreamstate filled the venue. Mosh pits started immediately, and everyone stood up it was time for Dayseeker (9). Rory’s sparkly black shoes were like disco balls on the stage reflecting light. Throughout their set, it felt like an emotional journey, going from upbeat songs to slower sad songs - but that’s why we love Dayseeker. "I wrote this after my dad died and I felt I never had the capability to find happiness and move on from a big loss..." before bellowing Homesick. The lights faded and a spotlight shone on Rory alone with the keyboard and the mosh pits morphed into sways ending with Rory turning around and forming a heart with his hands whilst "In memory of..." came up on the screen.
Rory later expressed that he lives with "Anxiety on a daily basis" and having to "put on a good poker face. During the process of making Paper Heart, I had a few moments where I cracked." Matt from RCD joined Dayseeker on stage duetting 'I'm not made of stone and I'm not a machine', they beautifully sang together. The emotional songs continued to cascade with Rory wished his dad was still alive to see what the band has turned into. They also reflected on the tour itself and how it felt surreal as this is the first time they've toured the UK in 10 years and back then they were performing to crowds of 30-40 people. Rory shed a tear or two singing the cover of My Immortal and ended the set on Sleep Talk "Now I can see that I should have left you alone. The worst is yet to come.”
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