We had a great Saturday night at BOBI 8. Best takings on the bar apparently. It’s official. Metal heads drink more than punks!
It all started with CONCRETE BADGER blasting out a great trad metal set. It sorta sounded Iron Maiden esque mixed with some pub rock gnarlyness - with an incredible singer knocking out unashamed histrionics over his candelabra.
These guys set a high bar that never dropped all night.
Second on at BOBI 8 were the very awesome AUTONYM from Leeds.
Cornering the market in indie cum grunge cum straight metal, these lads blasted out a perfect set. Pretty unique but we heard Soundgarden, Van Halen and The Smithereens in there. Proficient tunesmithery and great vocals, this band went down a storm.
Go see them- and see how metal has many faces.
Third on Saturdays BOBI 8 were newcomers HEARTSTRUNG.
These guys were a blend of old skool NYC hardcore meets power metal. Imagine the Descendants and Black Flag having a bar fight with Metallica, Motörhead and the best solos your mad uncle Bongo could noodle out and you’re getting there. Incredible energy and another frontman with lungs to die for and a Bruce Willis action vest. Insane tightness and the sonic assault never stopped - they had 999 gears that never changed down. Superb.
BOBI 8’s awesome headliners were BURIED BY MY HEARTACHE, a gem of a band from just down the road in Spalding.
These guys had it all-
A sinister mic stand ☑️
A frontman with a sandpaper voice ☑️
A lead guitarist who could travel around the room noodling ☑️
Insanely intense power metal tunes and a rhythm section as tight as a gnats chuff ☑️
Ability to take it to 11 and keep the audience mesmerised ☑️
Musically, they seemed to have absorbed the metal world like a Xenomorph absorbs human DNA. They were sort of reminiscent of a souped up land speed record Black Sabbath with another nod at hardcore and the songwriting skills of a pro band. We were watching a band that is just about t0 break into fame. Smooth sounds like an insult; maybe they swagger; but it’s driving and unpretentious.
They’ll be back... come see, and meanwhile stream their sings and give them a follow.
