There are moments, rare but they happen, where you start to lose faith in the live music scene. Moments when, stood outside a corporate venue in the rain, you wonder whether the poor sightlines, muffled sound, and overpriced beer are really worth the hours spent travelling after a busy day at work.
And then there are moments, like today, when you discover a hidden gem of a venue that makes you feel like every second of the travel and the time is worthwhile.
Tonight, we’re at just such a venue for an event run by Repeat! Promotions. Two things stand out straight away. Firstly, the people running Repeat! are incredibly friendly, well-organised, and know how to put on a great event with a well-curated line up. Secondly, The Rainbow is one of those special venues that magically bridges the gap between the grungy, subterranean vibes you want from such a venue and the great sound and lighting that you all too rarely get. It’s a fantastic first impression and, happily, the three bands gracing the stage more than live up to it.
Sadly, thanks to football-related traffic, we only catch the last song of Human Tusks. This is a shame for what we hear is heavy post-metal with a surprisingly visceral edge. Delivered by a three-piece, they conjure up a depth of sound that is impressive, while the drummer steadily tries to pound his way into the sub-basement. They attract a decent crowd too, considering the relatively early start time, and deservedly so. We may not have seen much of the band this evening, but they’re ones to watch and we will be making sure to catch them in the future.
Happily, we are there for the entirety of Solars, a four-piece band from Birmingham who demonstrate an impressive grasp of dynamic and weight. Leading with a crushing opening number, the band immediately grab our attention with an off-kilter tempo, and a bass tone that could crack planets. The only mild criticism is that the stage right guitarist is a little too quiet in comparison to the synapse-frying noise being poured forth by the rest of the band, although when it all aligns, it sounds truly immense.
There’s so much to admire in this wordless set. Their drummer, a shirtless blur of flying hair and flailing sticks, plays fills like he’s the bastard offspring of Jimmy Chamberlin and Jack DeJohnette while the guitarists segue between raw, bludgeoning power and occasional sun-dappled moments that wouldn’t sound out of place on a Nordic Giants’ record.
Elsewhere, we find brisk, four-to-the-floor rhythms giving way to something far nastier as the band take a weird left turn into the sort of jazz-fused metal Metallica wished they had incorporated into AJFA.
The third song aired (and apologies for my lack of familiarity with the titles) slows the pace with an eerie, synth-pedal washed guitar sound. Pounding toms do eventually introduce a riff of real force, but only after that brief introduction has lulled everyone into a false sense of security. When the track does explode, it takes the form of a mid-tempo metal monster with insane drumming and slightly lost-in-the-mix lead work. For a band without vocals, they’ve hit the sweet spot between naked aggression, eclecticism, and hooks, with a number of the riffs eliciting headbanging from the small but loyally enthusiastic crowd
All in all, Solars deliver the goods, taking a range of metal and post-metal influences and working them into something that’s accessible yet technical, ethereal and yet occasionally danceable. Along with Human Tusk, they are absolutely ones to watch.
The task of Hubris, it must be said, is pretty unenviable, given the sheer skill of their two support bands. However, with the wonderfully understated beauty of new album White Shores providing the bulk of the set, they win the audience over with a performance that oozes class.
Their set opens with the calm, post-rock ambience of Death, with synths and light touch guitar slowly casting a spell upon the audience before a series of stabbing guitar riffs finally up the ante. With the three-piece using synths and looper pedals to create the necessary space and depth, they occasionally lack the visceral edge of their supports, but they make up for it with an atmosphere that is uniquely their own, the music flowing from the stage and over the audience like the waters of the Loudwater.
Feedback trails into the ambience of Is, which is all reverse phase guitar and trippy noise complete with mallet-driven drums. It does expand to incorporate some rather crunchier riffs before the whole thing comes to an abrupt halt, with only a cheery thank you from Jonathan.
Having introduced the album, the band work their way through a wonderful Shade and Gloom, which has a lovely guitar figure worthy of Jeff Buckley’s Grace, although it soon expands to include dark synth and a tribal rhythm that speaks as much to the hips as the head. But then there’s a lovely Pink Floyd section that ripples with the golden light of dusk before exploding once more in a finale that sees Jonathan headbanging frantically.
The highlight of the set lands with a rendering of Path I and II from White Shores. The first part finds the band establishing tension with repeated bass stabs and tribal percussion that owes a debt to Manu Katché before the heaviness lands with both feet on the listener. While subtle post rock elements provide a nice sonic oasis, the second part takes in elements from everything from Mogwai and Pelican to Pink Floyd, in a gloriously melodic, expansively loud finale that draws cheers from the audience.
The final number is the rather beautiful Of Light, a lovely and multifaceted track that finds Jonathan’s clean arpeggios falling over one another, a trip-hop beat introducing the main body of the track – which is explosive and trancey by turns – as if the band slipped sideways into a club on their way to the closing tsunami.
On record, Hubris are one of the calmer bands of their ilk. On stage they are far less restrained, slowly building up layer upon layer of mesmerising noise until they’re finally ready to unleash upon the audience. With an emphasis on the emotionally charged White Shores, tonight is a near-perfect gig in a near-perfect venue. Congratulations to all concerned.
