The Myspace Gibson stage really mixes it up today, with :( [colon open-bracket]’s nintendocore (that’s hardcore with electronics instead of guitars) stylings, and Living Things proving the Rolling Stones have more bastard sons than originally thought. It’s up to hardcore heroes It Dies Today to bring the first mosh of the day in anticipation of their follow-up, while Manic seem intent on sonically flattening the crowd with concrete walls of math rock sound. Flyleaf are the true heirs to Queen Adreena, but with less wishy-washy hippy nonsense and more hints of Coheed and Cambria epicness. It’s a tough act for 10 Years to follow but their crisp metal just about does the job.
This Is Menace pull in a huge crowd of both hardened fans and curious onlookers and certainly don’t disappoint either, drawing on their usual multitude of figures from the UK underground. Paul McCallion, Jeff Walker, Karl Middleton, Justin Hill and Mikee Goodman are amongst the many that put in an appearance, but it’s left up to Hundred Reasons man Colin Doran to put the final icing on the metal laced cake with a storming run through of ‘Dead Man’.
The latest incarnation of Mondo Generator hit the stage running with Queens of the Stone Age classic ‘Six Shooter’, and it’s doubtful they’ve ever sounded better than this. Joined by the two Bens of Winnebago Deal fame, Nick Oliveri adds a much needed dash of punk attitude into proceedings.
Reuben seem somewhat taken aback by the heroes welcome they receive but soon give the crowd even more to really get excited about, including what could be the worlds first audience participation game of “Whack Attack”.
Veteran rockers Killing Joke bring the curtain down on the day with a storming run through of their back catalogue. Jaz Coleman is as charismatic a showman as ever, and their rapturously received pummelling rhythms blend together expertly to show that there’s still plenty of life in the old dog yet.
Saturday is when the skate competition really heats up in the Snickers Bowl, but the bands today fall short of providing the sonic kick up the arse to accompany the tricks. The Hedrons kick it off with their ballsy all-girl rock, but it’s all a little too safe compared to getAmped’s punching riffs. Capping if off is the somewhat unusual choice of acoustic singer-songwriter Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly, but while Sam Duckworth shows you don’t need whining feedback to rock out, it’s still a struggle to hear him over the Snickers Cinema.
