Hildamay (album launch show)

Plus: Insurgents, Black Shapes,

Tu Amore and Landscapes 

The Garage, Islington London

22.10.2012

Words: Jenny Chu

Hildamay have had a hell of a year already, the quintet from Kent had a busy summer wowing the likes of BBC Radio 1, Reading and Leeds festival as well as preparing the release of their debut album ‘Miles Away’. Now they’re back on the road ahead of that release and everyone here tonight is in for a real treat, plugging an exclusive-listening to the new tracks.

It seems Insurgents picked the shortest straw and are up first, the trio from Watford despite playing to a number only in the double digits perform like they have everything relying on it. It’s not until they bring out an additional two drums into the centre of the crowd to form a drum riff which see’s frontman Ant Giannaccini and bassist Bentley Levy bash away to a beat that really is three dimensional.

‘It’s like a twelve year old school disco’ frontman Gareth Evans of Black Shapes tells the half empty venue. The result? Gareth resorts to joining the intimate crowd, performing majority of the set off the stage. On the plus side, the fans that are present have more space to hard-core dance and the opportunity to share the frontman’s microphone for numerous choruses. That’s not the only bonus though, the four-piece are rather easy on the eye too. We’d be lying if we said we weren’t looking forward to the release of their new EP ‘In The Mourning Light’ out later this month.

Tu Amore have a soulful, indie sort of sound to them stirring in drumbeats that bring the show alive. The four members from Peterborough seem to have established a sound that sets them apart with energy of a much heavier band. Up next is Landscapes who have the challenge of getting some kind of crowd engagement. ‘I can’t even see you’ complains vocalist Shaun. What welcomes them though are a small group of hard-core kids and the band seem far from impressed. The quartet from Somerset no doubt have the songs to put other British rising rock bands on the edge of their seat. Whether they stick to half-hearted shows such as tonight’s is another story.

Just after 10pm and the half empty venue turns into a tightly squeezed room eager for the headliners. Hildamay strike up ‘We Loved, We Lost’ and ‘This House Became Our Home’ plunging down a route of heavy rock, but what these clever lads have managed to do is put meaning into a genre that is known to be full of mosh-pit mayhem melodies. Their melodies in fact are extremely rough round the edges but you can tell they’re genuine. The band are passionate and this shows in tonight’s performance, pushing through songs that are bounded together by fist pumping beats and gritty guitar riffs that are nothing short of enthusiasm. Usually it’s the frontman that captures the attention but Hildamay are a band that have so much going for them as a whole. Recent single ‘Changing The Key’ even managed to turn the heads of those at Radio 1’s Rock Show gaining Track Of The Week status. Tonight’s live performance of that track certainly showed what Hildamay are made of.