Benefits, Fast Blood & Haeze: Live In Middlesbrough

It’s a Friday night in October, the weathers on a downturn towards winter, but what can warm the heart and mind more than a gig in a brewery, with a pizza shack outside, and three top class yet very different bands, nothing can top that is what I’d say. So what do I do, I eat some food before setting off, and drive there because I’ve got an all day festival the next day, yes I know exactly what you’re thinking, but I don’t care, because this is an event that’s sold out, and all three bands are gonna knock it outta the fucking park.

First up and a band I’ve not seen before were Haeze. The room as already pretty much full when they hit the stage (always great when the people make that effort to see the supports), this was not what I was expecting though, a band that kicked off. By creating noise that actually made me wonder if Benefits were gonna drop on stage first, noise and atmosphere was this bands calling card, a mix of hardcore and metal roar is what I’d have to describe the sound as. Some full on vocal onslaught backed up by a screaming guitar, deep power bass and thumping drums, no sugar coated candy shit going on here I’d say.

Its not long for the change over to bring the main act as far as I was concerned for tonight (with 100% no disrespect to Benefits), Fast Blood have been on my must catch live radar for so long now, following the release of their truly brilliant and explosive album, Sunny Blunts, back in May this year this was made an even higher priority. With the crowd now at pretty much full capacity, they hit the small but perfectly formed stage amidst the brewery vats. They set off with Gone For Good and then blast Sexual Healing, this is a barrage of much needed empowerment that’s delivered in a way that leaves no one in the room in any doubt who is in charge of this gig, Abigail Barlow explodes with a vocal intensity that has you gasping for air by just being there, all this with the added bonus of her not losing that class local accent throughout. This is more, so much more than I’d of hoped for after the long wait to see this band live.  

Small Town is the next lightening bolt that comes our way, a song that call out the strange but true phenomenon that is local narrow-mindedness, living in tight knit places can be a blessing and a curse.  We are now in no doubt that what’s happening here is something of a cauldron of pent up emotions and thoughts being channelled through the conduit that is Fast Blood, the energy is not from the body but the mind and soul, with the words being thrown like daggers to there prey. I take a look around this now sweaty and very warm room, its without doubt that those who may never have seen this band before and those that have, are all experiencing the very same, a sense of love and “what the fucking hell!”, Abigail and the whole band just add so much urgency and angst into every song.  We are so thoroughly warn out and excited song after song, Rum & Soda, Eyes Wide Shut and Sunny Blunts are still ringing in my ears two days later, win win!.

Guess what, that wasn’t even the headline tonight, this little gem was given to one of the North East’s newest seminal bands Benefits. After watching them set up and realising that what I’d heard about them not having a drummer on this tour, was true. This is the great thing about a band like Benefits, it matters not how they do it, but to play and create something new and fresh, is by way of born into their soul, an art form in music no less. Kicking off the set with their friend Ben Muriel singing The Chemical Workers Song is for a Teesside gig something that feels a little like it should always be, a moment to reflect before the mind is flipped sideways. This was to be a set that, held so much of old, but even more of the new, a sound that had, yes mellowed, but not to the point that the point was lost. This was for me a Benefits moving forward, a band that has never sat and waited to be pigeon holed, playing what they want, how they want to. Yes we got our ears blasted to smithereens at points, but there was also time to feel embraced with love, and mutual hatred for those who seek to exploit the world of humanity. This was a much more reliant on electronic sound without the earthy drums, but none the less moving.

How do you know when a gig has gone well?, for me it’s when I walk away smiling and knowing I’ll be back for more of the same next time they play and I can make it. 

Thanks to Wall Of Sound PR for the invite and Play Brew Co & Benefits for creating this event.