FoeFest and Betrayed By Life Records presented SOHC Takeover which saw Chained Existence, Curfew, Concrete Jungle and Not Without Punishment take over Shredenhams (the former Debenhams, now skatepark/venue/event space) for an evening of hardcore.
Chained Existence (8) got things started with a heavy set that you could feel through the concrete floor. It didn't take long before the first two-steppers appeared and the crowd started warming up, setting the tone for the evening.
Between bands, people wandered between the bar, caught up with friends outside or grabbed their skateboards for a session on the ramps. The clatter of skateboard wheels and the crack of boards landing between sets and became part of the soundtrack to the night.
The vocals from Curfew (9) during soundcheck cut through the venue like a siren call. Instinctively, everyone scurried back towards the stage, quickly filling the room back up ready to watch them. Their breakdowns caused a chain reaction of spin kicks and windmills, with the pit in constant motion from start to finish. It was one of those sets where the intensity never let up.
Concrete Jungle (8) kept the momentum going, the room in constant motion. People pacing the edge waiting for the next breakdown before throwing themselves back in. Their energy never dipped, with everyone feeding off every riff and breakdown from start to finish. You only had to look around the room to see how much everyone was enjoying themselves.
Not Without Punishment (9) took to the stage and there wasn't a hint of anyone slowing down. During the final song, everyone seemed determined to get to the microphone, climbing over each other just to be part of it. It instantly reminded me of the painting The Raft Of The Medusa, bodies piling on top of one another, all reaching for the same thing. What a way to close the night.
One thing I really noticed throughout the evening was how much the bands supported each other. They weren't just turning up to play their own sets and leave. They were watching each other, joining in and clearly enjoying seeing everyone else do well. It felt like a community rather than just any old line-up.
Shredenhams suited the event perfectly too. Because it's so well lit, you don't miss the little moments. The grins from ear to ear, feet stomping, fists pumping, hugs, jazz hands, spin kicks, windmills and people picking each other back up all become part of the experience.
One moment summed the whole evening up for me. Someone slipped on wet patch in the pit and within seconds people had helped them back to their feet while others grabbed blue roll and cleaned the floor so nobody else would go over. A few minutes later, everything carried on as normal and shapes were being thrown.
That's one of the reasons I love hardcore. If you've never been to a show, it's easy to look at the pit and think it's just aggression. Spend an evening in a room like this and you'll see something completely different. People look after each other. They celebrate each other's bands, pick each other up when they fall and make sure everyone leaves with the same smile they came in with.
Chained Existence (8) got things started with a heavy set that you could feel through the concrete floor. It didn't take long before the first two-steppers appeared and the crowd started warming up, setting the tone for the evening.
Between bands, people wandered between the bar, caught up with friends outside or grabbed their skateboards for a session on the ramps. The clatter of skateboard wheels and the crack of boards landing between sets and became part of the soundtrack to the night.
The vocals from Curfew (9) during soundcheck cut through the venue like a siren call. Instinctively, everyone scurried back towards the stage, quickly filling the room back up ready to watch them. Their breakdowns caused a chain reaction of spin kicks and windmills, with the pit in constant motion from start to finish. It was one of those sets where the intensity never let up.
Concrete Jungle (8) kept the momentum going, the room in constant motion. People pacing the edge waiting for the next breakdown before throwing themselves back in. Their energy never dipped, with everyone feeding off every riff and breakdown from start to finish. You only had to look around the room to see how much everyone was enjoying themselves.
Not Without Punishment (9) took to the stage and there wasn't a hint of anyone slowing down. During the final song, everyone seemed determined to get to the microphone, climbing over each other just to be part of it. It instantly reminded me of the painting The Raft Of The Medusa, bodies piling on top of one another, all reaching for the same thing. What a way to close the night.
One thing I really noticed throughout the evening was how much the bands supported each other. They weren't just turning up to play their own sets and leave. They were watching each other, joining in and clearly enjoying seeing everyone else do well. It felt like a community rather than just any old line-up.
Shredenhams suited the event perfectly too. Because it's so well lit, you don't miss the little moments. The grins from ear to ear, feet stomping, fists pumping, hugs, jazz hands, spin kicks, windmills and people picking each other back up all become part of the experience.
One moment summed the whole evening up for me. Someone slipped on wet patch in the pit and within seconds people had helped them back to their feet while others grabbed blue roll and cleaned the floor so nobody else would go over. A few minutes later, everything carried on as normal and shapes were being thrown.
That's one of the reasons I love hardcore. If you've never been to a show, it's easy to look at the pit and think it's just aggression. Spend an evening in a room like this and you'll see something completely different. People look after each other. They celebrate each other's bands, pick each other up when they fall and make sure everyone leaves with the same smile they came in with.
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