Live Review: Energy / Miss Vincent / Cascade – Satan’s Hollow, Manchester, UK, 29th July 2017

Satan’s Hollow is an eccentric venue located on the edge of Manchester’s Gay Village that is done out on early Hammer Horror chic complete with Devils, a Frankenstein’s Monster and numerous ghouls and creatures lurking in the venue, it also boasts the stickiest floor I’ve ever encountered in a live venue and over the DJ booth lurks Satan himself overseeing the tunes, and this bodes well for tonight, after all he is famed for having all the best tunes. I’ve not been to Satan’s Hollow for about ten years, but my memories of it being a unique venue are not just hazy nostalgia, aside from it’s decor the bands play in the centre of the venue, granting you unique perspectives for live shows that no other Manchester venue provides.

 

By the time we’ve had a confusing meander through the construction zone that central Manchester has become and we finally locate Satan’s Hollow it’s too late to catch opening band Sonder, but on the plus side we managed to catch the end of up and coming local outfit Cascade‘s set.  The Manchester quartet are already mid way through their set as we arrive but the brief exposure to Cascade reveals a band who deliver an earnest and down to earth blend of post and melodic hardcore that is the perfect start to tonight’s line up, and as their debut single, Sarracenia, is available as a free download you have nothing to lose by checking out this promising outfit.

 

Miss Vincent are supporting Energy across their debut headline tour of the UK, and you can see why they landed the support slot as they deliver a welcome blast of melodic hardcore tinged punk rock that hits the spot nicely, and it explains the hype that’s building up behind this up and coming UK outfit. The early start for tonight’s show has not done any of the support bands any favours as Miss Vincent have hit the stage before 8pm, a time when many gig goers are still usually enjoying a pre show pint, but this is what venues have to do to survive so I’m not complaining, but I suspect a lot of those with tickets for tonight’s show haven’t checked the stage times prior to attending.

 

Miss Vincent are a band I expect to hear a lot more of, the blend street punk, melodic hardcore and good old fashioned punk rock to incredible effect, and despite the early start they deliver a full tilt set to those who have arrived early enough, and to the steadily growing slightly confused crowd who arrive mid set. Amidst the full tilt punk rock there are moments that break the set up with moments of more heartfelt rock ‘n roll on steroids that befit the band’s moniker. Miss Vincent are authentic muscular punk rock, and I would have been happy just to see them tonight such is the passion and energy behind their set and I can’t recommend Miss Vincent highly enough, on the basis of tonight’s set they stand out as another rising star born of the UK’s grass roots punk scene.

 

Energy kick off with The Witching Hour, the impressive lead single from the freshly released Under The Mask EP, that marks a perfect start to their headline set and for a band with a ten year back catalogue demonstrates the strength of their new material. For me Energy‘s sound and attitude is better matched to the intimate venue of Satan’s Hollow, and the demonic theme of the venue, much better than the characterless venues they were playing on the first UK visit earlier this year as support to Creeper. Energy are for me the natural heirs to The Misfits crown of horror punk, but that’s not to say they are a copy of New Jerseys finest, they bring their own character and well, Energy, to the set.

 

Energy carry a different feel from many of Boston’s better known sons as there’s no reference to Irish heritage or bagpipes, instead tonight they have delivered a set that is influenced by the last four decades of punk rock, from The Misfits through to AFI and beyond, and to underpin this towards the end of the set they deliver The Misfits classic Hybrid Moments exactly as it was meant to be delivered. Throughout tonight’s set Energy enjoy an intimate interaction with an enthusiastic crowd and they happily mingle with the audience after the show, until the venue is cleared to make way for the following club night. For me this is a tour that represents a showcase of two bands that are deservedly gaining the recognition they deserve.

 

Tonight Energy are playing their Under The Mask EP in full for the first time, on their first headlining set in Manchester, on the first date of their first UK headlining tour, and it’s their first show with new drummer Eric Molloy. On a night of numerous firsts I feel privileged to have been here as Energy now sit comfortably amongst my favourite live acts after tonight and my first exposure to them earlier this year. Energy are making significant inroads into the UK with two tours in the last 6 months, and I’m wondering why it took then so long as their brand of horror infused punk rock is well received by the attendees at Satan’s Hollow, and I hope Energy make a return to our shores in 2018.

 

Energy‘s Facebook presence is here and the Under The Mask EP can be ordered here

 

The Punk Site Review of the Under The Mask EP can be read here

 

Miss Vincent‘s Facebook page can be found here and their Bandcamp is here

 

Cascade‘s Facebook is located here and their Bandcamp is here

 

You can enter Satan’s Hollow online here

 

Live photography is by Dean Unsworth, his Instagram account is located here

 

You can click on any of Dean’s photos to view a slide show of the images