LIVE REVIEW: BEARTOOTH, LEEDS BECKETT SU // 9TH DECEMBER 2016

Okay, I normally like to catch all of the support bands but tonight I have to make a confession - we got most of the way there in the taxi when I realised I'd left the tickets at home. Bloody useless I know especially because we really like Trashboat! 

Anyyyyyway. We were lucky enough to see the end of VANNA's set which the crowd had already built up for and to be honest, I was gutted that I'd missed the majority of it because these guys were really good. If you haven't heard of this band before they are a post-hardcore band who hail from Boston, Massachusetts. They're heavy and handsome, what more could a girl want?! I'll certainly be looking out for these guys across the UK but until then they are a Spotify must!

Pretty much just in time for the main event I was well and truly ready for BEARTOOTH. If you've followed my blog for a while you'll know that they are one of my favourite bands and with a spot right at the barrier I was more than excited when I could see them at the side of the stage warming up and having a group hug and the Ohio punk rockers were ready to give one hell of a show to the sold out crowd. 

The second the band entered the stage and started to play 'Burnout' there were cheers all round. Beartooth have grown so much in such a short space of time and after their first album, Disgusting, there was certainly a bar that was set for 2016's Aggressive which did not disappoint and neither did this set list. With a good balance of both albums I'm pretty sure everyone in the room was delighted with the choices.

Flowing on from the initial track the band swiftly moved into 'Aggressive', the title track of their latest, and very aggressive, album. With the sweat building in the crowd that wouldn't stop moving they moved back to 'Beaten In Lips' with the sound of the crowd singing back at the band very loudly before the band takes a break from the tracks and vocalist Caleb welcomes the audience in saying "for those of you that have never seen Beartooth before, welcome to the party! By the end of the show you will be covered in sweat" (I don't think he knew that the majority of the crowd were at the sweaty stage already) and that is exactly what the rest of the night was, an energetic bubble of awesome live music and dripping sweat. 

The lungs of the attendees were put to good use a few songs later as the opening chords of 'Hated' began, one of my favourite songs off the album and one that really hits you emotionally. Following the track the Leeds crowd began shouting the standard 'Yorkshire' chant in which every overseas band seems to think we're shouting 'You're Shit'. The band chuckled before ordering everyone to kneel on the floor in time for the next track 'I Have A Problem'. I'm not going to lie, this was extremely difficult in the venue which was so crammed and sweaty. We managed to get some way down before Caleb's count of four ended in craziness at the start of the track. 

Next up was 'Rock Is Dead' where Caleb enthused that “rock and roll is not going anywhere until the end of f**king time” before moving into the final song of the initial set which of course is 'In Between'. Prior to which there was a break in play due to an issue with a member of the crowd falling ill, so, like the lovely band they are, they paused until the girl was taken out of the crowd safely before they jumped into the track. 

Unfortunately it was time for the encore which began with a toned down track with Caleb on his own for 'King of Anything'. This performance was nothing other than powerful with his flawless vocals taking over the room in all its rawness. The final track of the night was fast-paced 'Body Bag' which has everyone screaming "One Life, One Decision" back to the band as they ended the night in true Beartooth fashion with the final line being "make sure it ends with you still living" before the band thanked the fans and exited the stage.  

Their night didn't finish there though - we caught the boys partying at The Key Club afterwards and they were nice enough for us to get a very intoxicated snap with them which I'm most certainly not sharing on here! 

Such an amazing band that you all need to catch live - they're playing Slam Dunk Festival in May!

Also, massive thanks to Luke for letting me use his awesome photos - check out his work in the links below.

BEARTOOTH
Spotify | iTunes | Website | YouTube | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

VANNA
Spotify | iTunes | Website | YouTube | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

LUKE BEEVERS PHOTOGRAPHY
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