Miss May I - Cardiff University - 7th December 2012 (Live Review)
Tuesday, 11 December 2012
Written by Matt Turner
With Cardiff being the last show on the UK stretch of Miss May I's 'At Heart' tour, it was rather apt that it also had the best pre-sale, as this metal showcase got the send off it well and truly deserved.
Melodic hardcore warriors Heart In Hand (*****) kicked off the proceedings in a relatively packed out Great Hall 2. The quintet from Bournemouth are one of the best upcoming British bands in the hardcore scene, with vocalist Charlie Holmes' fantastic stage presence ensuring that he has the crowd under full control. Showing what they have to offer on their new EP being released in February, 'Life Goes On' is a fantastic live anthem which sent the crowd into a raptures. A personal highlight was their final song, 'Only Memories'. There were murmurs in the audience after their set that they should have been further up on the bill, which I totally agree with, I even persuaded my friend to loan me some money so that I could get a Heart In Hand shirt. Expect big things from these guys in the future.
Pennsylvanian metallers Texas In July (****) also put on a rather good show, with bassist Ben Witkowski more than likely breaking the Guinness World Record for the amount of 360 spins done in one performance which emphasises the talent he possesses, still being able to play brutal hardcore while incredibly dizzy. After a bit of a slow start, 'Hook, Line & Sinner' creates one of the biggest moshpits of the night, with the majority of the crowed getting involved during a heavy as balls midsection. A very promising performance which has no doubt gained them many more admirers in the U.K.
Bleed From Within (****) are up next, and the Glaswegian metalheads do a good job in maintaining the craziness which the crowd has displayed all night. With the longest hair on tour, all of the band members make incredibly good use of it. A plethora of headbangs and guitar flips create a very effective stage presence. After extensive touring with While She Sleeps and now Miss May I, Bleed From Within's hard work is finally paying off, with their final song 'Servants Of Divinity' summing up why these guys are progressing so quickly in this scene.
Through following this crowd through these events, it's easy to feel their growing anticipation for the headline act, Miss May I (*****). The lights dim and Great Hall 2 erupts. When the crowd sang along to the opening riff of 'Hey Mister', you could tell Miss May I were ready to exit the U.K in style, and the crowd were ready to give them the perfect send off. Inciting moshpits left, right and centre, a highlight was the look on vocalist Levi Benton's face after he demanded a 'marathon pit', which was essentially a ridiculously large circle pit. The crowd were more than happy to take orders, as the circle pit went from one side of the Great Hall 2 towards the other, with a large portion of the crowd getting involved. After an impressive drum solo from Jerod Boyd, Miss May I rattle through a perfect mix of old and new songs and finish with 'Relentless Chaos' after a massive demand for an encore from this Cardiff crowd. A fantastic performance by the boys from Ohio.
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Melodic hardcore warriors Heart In Hand (*****) kicked off the proceedings in a relatively packed out Great Hall 2. The quintet from Bournemouth are one of the best upcoming British bands in the hardcore scene, with vocalist Charlie Holmes' fantastic stage presence ensuring that he has the crowd under full control. Showing what they have to offer on their new EP being released in February, 'Life Goes On' is a fantastic live anthem which sent the crowd into a raptures. A personal highlight was their final song, 'Only Memories'. There were murmurs in the audience after their set that they should have been further up on the bill, which I totally agree with, I even persuaded my friend to loan me some money so that I could get a Heart In Hand shirt. Expect big things from these guys in the future.
