Push to Fire Review: Hevy 2011

Push to Fire Review: Hevy Festival
Port Lympne, Kent
5th-8th August 2011
by George Osborne

Saturday
The first real treat on the Saturday of Hevy Fest is delivered by Brotherhood Of The Lake (7/10) whose meticulously tight music and fresh-out-of-the-box rasping vocals wake everyone up from the night before. It is therefore such a shame that the crowd interaction is close to non-existent. Maybe it’s the hangovers, maybe the slight reticence of the band and the complete lack of between song enthusiasm, but it just doesn’t quite kick off. The music is professionally delivered and the Plymouth hardcore collective clearly have a considerable degree of live talent, but they just need to find a spark from somewhere, and then you’d be inclined to think this show can really take off.
A big surprise of the day is Gold Kids (8/10) who definitely put in the most effort-driven show of the weekend. Their front man is unlike anyone else this weekend, even on a 40ft x 20ft stage he still seems desperately contained – there is no space big enough for this man to expel his searing vocals and deranged screams. However it’s not a one man show; his band play tight, fast, no nonsense hardcore, which on record sounds a little samey, but live comes into its own. Three quarters of the band are Italian and as a result, banter is minimal, but their passion and enthusiasm more than makes up for it.
Stunning.

(Gold Kids)

However the first band of the day that really gives a master class in how to work a crowd, is the aptly named Heart In Hand (8/10), whose frontman Charlie Holmes whips the Hevy faithful into a frenzy. He is constantly in the crowd, making people show their passion and draining every last drop of sweat from the packed tent. His vocals are harsh and unforgiving, and complemented well by the abrasive music his band mates churn out. Together they produce an unrelenting set, putting the evening nicely in motion and has everyone thoroughly warmed up by the end; culminating in Holmes becoming the first artist to scale then drop from one of the tent’s support pillars.
The best set of the day, (and one of only three perfect scores all weekend) was almost inevitably going to be The Ghost Of A Thousand’s (10/10) last ever show. Last shows can go catastrophically sometimes – turning into self indulgent displays of grandiosity and sappiness. Thankfully this one is anything but.
The band know it, the crowd know it, so they waste no time prolonging the inevitable and just throw themselves in. Musically the band don’t put a foot wrong, giving the same blistering performance that has seen them come to be at the forefront of UK hardcore for the past seven years, and today frontman Tom Lacey has never looked so...well, right in his place. Doing everything perfectly, he has come to be the quintessential front man of the scene he worked so hard to keep alive. His commanding vocals and cocksure smile inspire the main stage crowd, going crazy for the first time all day, and as he stalks the stage one has to question why they are calling it a day.
As the last note rings out the band exchange big smiles and hugs. Their band was something special. This set was something perfect.
Following that would be near impossible for most bands, however Architects (9/10) are not most bands. Sam Carter, like Tom Lacey, is an example of a front man who seemingly without effort can make a crowd go nuts. Their confidence and style is their most attractive asset, and it's fair to say that they could be headlining this event as soon as next year.
They deliver their metal-edged hardcore with enthusiasm and grace, and the crowd seem genuinely enamoured with the good vibes surrounding them. Towards the end of their set Carter asks all the lads in the crowd to get the girls on their shoulders for one of their slower paced songs, and quite unusually at Hevy, a chilled out sing-along ensues, which gives some nice relief from the intensity of the day. Finishing at their usual breakneck place, Architects solidify their place as the forerunners of the British hardcore scene.

(Architects)

The big story of the night is delivered in the smallest tent by Rise To Remain (9/10) whose fresh enthusiasm and young talent surprises everyone. Although it really is the biggest cliché in the scene, this band really do combine the heavy and the melodic elements seamlessly, and to do this before they’ve even released their début album is beyond impressive.
Live, they are a force to be reckoned with, as they tear the tent apart and get every member of the crowd working. Austin Dickinson certainly has his father’s stage presence, and his confidence suggests this band are not going to be playing stages this small for too much longer. With their first album less than a month from release, many who leave this tent will have decided that it will be well worth a listen.
Headlining the main stage is a big ask, and The Dillinger Escape Plan (8/10) step up eagerly to the task. They are a truly magnificent band, sonically they are in another league to most bands here this weekend, but they are not exactly what you look for in headliners. After a hard 12 hours people want big sing-alongs and fast paced pits. While they provide the latter, their technical wizardry (multiple time and key switches) are quite hard to take in after a full day. However their enthusiasm and professionalism makes up for it, as they work hard to get the last of the energy out of the Saturday crowd.
As their set ends and the power is cut, the band return to the stage armed with an acoustic guitar and some rusty vocals and try to play out a few Nirvana songs. It is a beautiful end to the day, and nicely shows that behind their fastidious musicianship they are, like all of us, just plain music fans at heart.

(Dillinger crowd)

Sunday
As I said earlier, only three bands got perfect scores this weekend. You’ll have heard of the two who played the main stage, but not necessarily the third, who early on a Sunday afternoon played in the smallest tent at 2pm. They are the best kept secret in the UK, but I can guarantee that they won’t stay hidden for long.
I was simply, utterly, totally, blown away by Marmozets (10/10). How do you even go about describing a show like this? Well, they are young. As in, very young. As in, one member is 15 years old young. Yet they have all the technical skill that Saturday’s main stage headliners (TDEP) have. They are slightly reminiscent of Rolo Tomassi, playing with the same deranged enthusiasm and a seemingly oblivious attitude to how good they are. Front woman Becca Macintyre stalks the stage and throws herself into the audience, straddling the barrier and screaming at the top of her voice whilst the band too are constantly moving, and constantly throwing the audience curveballs with the unexpected twists and turns their music takes. As they end their last song, their guitarist hurls himself on to the barrier and offers me his guitar to play. It was an honour to be able to claim that I did, albeit for less than 5 seconds. Mesmerising.
Back on the main stage, I have to tell myself not to compare anything to that otherwise they would receive non-existent scores. First up is Polar Bear Club (7/10) who play crowd pleasing mid-afternoon punk rock. Their performance is nothing special, but very enthusiastic and well received. The crowd interact well, with several sing alongs, and everyone leaves happy. It has to be said that it seems more filler than killer, but not every band can be the best band of the weekend.

(Polar Bear Club)

Next up are the Milton Keynes ska-punks Capdown (8/10) who make a storming live return following their three year hiatus. On a performance as entertaining as this you have to ask yourself why they ever split up, but that doesn’t matter now. The crowd love it and get down to the groove, skanking and dancing, rather than the moshing or hardcore dancing that dominates the weekend. The fact they are the outlier on a mainly hardcore bill works in their favour as the funky ska goes down a treat.
Hype Theory’s (7/10) sugar-coated anthems go down nicely - at least for today. Their summery punk-pop anthems very much suit this sun-soaked mid afternoon festival crowd, however it may not be as thrilling in smaller confines. Their front woman Katy has good stage presence, and though quite formulaic, their set goes down nicely.
However it all seems a bit too safe. Though nice enough, when their première album is released in winter, they may find it gets a bit of a cold reception if it contains only this level of substance.

(Hype Theory)

The first of the big bands today is We Are The Ocean (6/10) who unfortunately suffer from sound problems throughout. The band put in as much energy as they can muster, but there really is only so much they can do with a quiet sound. However it doesn’t help that the audience barely reacts to material from their ambiguously received second album. When they play harsher material from their début, or EP, the crowd comes alive, but they seem to just stand there aimlessly when anything new is played. The band can tell that all is not going well, but in one swift piece of showmanship front man Dan Brown rescues their set from being a total disaster. At the start of 'Confessions' he goes right to the back of the field, climbs atop the sound deck and throws himself into the audience, resulting in him being carried back 50ft to the main stage. Even though their set is a little disappointing, it is good to see that they are a smart enough bunch of lads to have a backup plan.
The final perfect set of the weekend goes to Funeral For A Friend (10/10) who are simply majestic today, and treated like returning heroes. And in a way they are – front man Matt Davies reminds the crowd that their earliest material is now a decade old, and for a second everyone seems to appreciate that it had an effect on them and ninety percent of the bands playing this weekend, either musically or emotionally. However the great thing about this band is that they are constantly progressing and evolving, and even though they have changed two-fifths of their members in the past two years, they are still very much a force to be reckoned with.
Their new material goes down as well as their oldest classics like 'Juneau' and 'Roses For The Dead' (the latter being the highlight of their set, and possibly the weekend, as the Hevy crowd gives it their all) and the energy never drops below maximum for the duration of their set. As they close with the fan favourite 'Escape Artists Never Die' Matt joyfully roars “Here’s to the next decade!” And judging by the reaction of the crowd, we can expect to see them here a few more times over the years. Stunning.

(Funeral for a Friend)

Closing the main stage on the Sunday night is possibly the hardest job of the weekend, and Four Year Strong (8/10) perform with pluck and aplomb, though, like TDEP the night before, don’t quite look like headliners. It could be said that both night’s second headliners (Architects and FFAF) should have been headlining, but it doesn’t really matter. What the band lack musically they make up for with their enthusiasm and infectious sense of humour (something TDEP didn’t have.) Although the music can get a little repetitive they break things up nicely with some mid-set entertainment; throwing their rider out into the crowd, complete with cheese and oranges flying through the air!
They perform a decent set list and pack in a lot of fan favourites, alongside a well received new song and their easy-listening rock ensures that everyone leaves in a good mood from a festival that looks on course to become a prominent feature in the hardcore scene for years to come.
More photos from the festival can be found here:http://pushtofire.com/photos/Hevy2011/index.html

Many thanks to Emma for arranging press access for George and Dan. Photos by Dan Easton (Kluens.co.uk).

Push to Fire Review: Hevy Festival Port Lympne, Kent 5th-8th August 2011 by George Osborne Saturday The first real treat on the Saturday of Hevy Fest is delivered by Brotherhood Of The Lake (7/10) whose meticulously tight music and fresh-out-of-the-box rasping vocals wake everyone up from the night before. It is therefore such a shame that the crowd interaction is close to non-existent. Maybe it’s the hangovers, maybe the slight reticence of the band and the complete lack of between song enthusiasm, but it just doesn’t quite kick off. The music is professionally delivered and the Plymouth hardcore collective clearly have a considerable degree of live talent, but they just need to find a spark from somewhere, and then you’d be inclined to think this show can really take off. A big surprise of the day is Gold Kids (8/10) who definitely put in the most effort-driven show of the weekend. Their front man is unlike anyone else this weekend, even on a 40ft x 20ft stage he still seems desperately contained – there is no space big enough for this man to expel his searing vocals and deranged screams. However it’s not a one man show; his band play tight, fast, no nonsense hardcore, which on record sounds a little samey, but live comes into its own. Three quarters of the band are Italian and as a result, banter is minimal, but their passion and enthusiasm more than makes up for it. Stunning. (Gold Kids) However the first band of the day that really gives a master class in how to work a crowd, is the aptly named Heart In Hand (8/10), whose frontman Charlie Holmes whips the Hevy faithful into a frenzy. He is constantly in the crowd, making people show their passion and draining every last drop of sweat from the packed tent. His vocals are harsh and unforgiving, and complemented well by the abrasive music his band mates churn out. Together they produce an unrelenting set, putting the evening nicely in motion and has everyone thoroughly warmed up by the end; culminating in Holmes becoming the first artist to scale then drop from one of the tent’s support pillars. The best set of the day, (and one of only three perfect scores all weekend) was almost inevitably going to be The Ghost Of A Thousand’s (10/10) last ever show. Last shows can go catastrophically sometimes – turning into self indulgent displays of grandiosity and sappiness. Thankfully this one is anything but. The band know it, the crowd know it, so they waste no time prolonging the inevitable and just throw themselves in. Musically the band don’t put a foot wrong, giving the same blistering performance that has seen them come to be at the forefront of UK hardcore for the past seven years, and today frontman Tom Lacey has never looked so...well, right in his place. Doing everything perfectly, he has come to be the quintessential front man of the scene he worked so hard to keep alive. His commanding vocals and cocksure smile inspire the main stage crowd, going crazy for the first time all day, and as he stalks the stage one has to question why they are calling it a day. As the last note rings out the band exchange big smiles and hugs. Their band was something special. This set was something perfect. Following that would be near impossible for most bands, however Architects (9/10) are not most bands. Sam Carter, like Tom Lacey, is an example of a front man who seemingly without effort can make a crowd go nuts. Their confidence and style is their most attractive asset, and it's fair to say that they could be headlining this event as soon as next year. They deliver their metal-edged hardcore with enthusiasm and grace, and the crowd seem genuinely enamoured with the good vibes surrounding them. Towards the end of their set Carter asks all the lads in the crowd to get the girls on their shoulders for one of their slower paced songs, and quite unusually at Hevy, a chilled out sing-along ensues, which gives some nice relief from the intensity of the day. Finishing at their usual breakneck place, Architects solidify their place as the forerunners of the British hardcore scene. (Architects) The big story of the night is delivered in the smallest tent by Rise To Remain (9/10) whose fresh enthusiasm and young talent surprises everyone. Although it really is the biggest cliché in the scene, this band really do combine the heavy and the melodic elements seamlessly, and to do this before they’ve even released their début album is beyond impressive. Live, they are a force to be reckoned with, as they tear the tent apart and get every member of the crowd working. Austin Dickinson certainly has his father’s stage presence, and his confidence suggests this band are not going to be playing stages this small for too much longer. With their first album less than a month from release, many who leave this tent will have decided that it will be well worth a listen. Headlining the main stage is a big ask, and The Dillinger Escape Plan (8/10) step up eagerly to the task. They are a truly magnificent band, sonically they are in another league to most bands here this weekend, but they are not exactly what you look for in headliners. After a hard 12 hours people want big sing-alongs and fast paced pits. While they provide the latter, their technical wizardry (multiple time and key switches) are quite hard to take in after a full day. However their enthusiasm and professionalism makes up for it, as they work hard to get the last of the energy out of the Saturday crowd. As their set ends and the power is cut, the band return to the stage armed with an acoustic guitar and some rusty vocals and try to play out a few Nirvana songs. It is a beautiful end to the day, and nicely shows that behind their fastidious musicianship they are, like all of us, just plain music fans at heart. (Dillinger crowd) Sunday As I said earlier, only three bands got perfect scores this weekend. You’ll have heard of the two who played the main stage, but not necessarily the third, who early on a Sunday afternoon played in the smallest tent at 2pm. They are the best kept secret in the UK, but I can guarantee that they won’t stay hidden for long. I was simply, utterly, totally, blown away by Marmozets (10/10). How do you even go about describing a show like this? Well, they are young. As in, very young. As in, one member is 15 years old young. Yet they have all the technical skill that Saturday’s main stage headliners (TDEP) have. They are slightly reminiscent of Rolo Tomassi, playing with the same deranged enthusiasm and a seemingly oblivious attitude to how good they are. Front woman Becca Macintyre stalks the stage and throws herself into the audience, straddling the barrier and screaming at the top of her voice whilst the band too are constantly moving, and constantly throwing the audience curveballs with the unexpected twists and turns their music takes. As they end their last song, their guitarist hurls himself on to the barrier and offers me his guitar to play. It was an honour to be able to claim that I did, albeit for less than 5 seconds. Mesmerising. Back on the main stage, I have to tell myself not to compare anything to that otherwise they would receive non-existent scores. First up is Polar Bear Club (7/10) who play crowd pleasing mid-afternoon punk rock. Their performance is nothing special, but very enthusiastic and well received. The crowd interact well, with several sing alongs, and everyone leaves happy. It has to be said that it seems more filler than killer, but not every band can be the best band of the weekend. (Polar Bear Club) Next up are the Milton Keynes ska-punks Capdown (8/10) who make a storming live return following their three year hiatus. On a performance as entertaining as this you have to ask yourself why they ever split up, but that doesn’t matter now. The crowd love it and get down to the groove, skanking and dancing, rather than the moshing or hardcore dancing that dominates the weekend. The fact they are the outlier on a mainly hardcore bill works in their favour as the funky ska goes down a treat. Hype Theory’s (7/10) sugar-coated anthems go down nicely - at least for today. Their summery punk-pop anthems very much suit this sun-soaked mid afternoon festival crowd, however it may not be as thrilling in smaller confines. Their front woman Katy has good stage presence, and though quite formulaic, their set goes down nicely. However it all seems a bit too safe. Though nice enough, when their première album is released in winter, they may find it gets a bit of a cold reception if it contains only this level of substance. (Hype Theory) The first of the big bands today is We Are The Ocean (6/10) who unfortunately suffer from sound problems throughout. The band put in as much energy as they can muster, but there really is only so much they can do with a quiet sound. However it doesn’t help that the audience barely reacts to material from their ambiguously received second album. When they play harsher material from their début, or EP, the crowd comes alive, but they seem to just stand there aimlessly when anything new is played. The band can tell that all is not going well, but in one swift piece of showmanship front man Dan Brown rescues their set from being a total disaster. At the start of 'Confessions' he goes right to the back of the field, climbs atop the sound deck and throws himself into the audience, resulting in him being carried back 50ft to the main stage. Even though their set is a little disappointing, it is good to see that they are a smart enough bunch of lads to have a backup plan. The final perfect set of the weekend goes to Funeral For A Friend (10/10) who are simply majestic today, and treated like returning heroes. And in a way they are – front man Matt Davies reminds the crowd that their earliest material is now a decade old, and for a second everyone seems to appreciate that it had an effect on them and ninety percent of the bands playing this weekend, either musically or emotionally. However the great thing about this band is that they are constantly progressing and evolving, and even though they have changed two-fifths of their members in the past two years, they are still very much a force to be reckoned with. Their new material goes down as well as their oldest classics like 'Juneau' and 'Roses For The Dead' (the latter being the highlight of their set, and possibly the weekend, as the Hevy crowd gives it their all) and the energy never drops below maximum for the duration of their set. As they close with the fan favourite 'Escape Artists Never Die' Matt joyfully roars “Here’s to the next decade!” And judging by the reaction of the crowd, we can expect to see them here a few more times over the years. Stunning. (Funeral for a Friend) Closing the main stage on the Sunday night is possibly the hardest job of the weekend, and Four Year Strong (8/10) perform with pluck and aplomb, though, like TDEP the night before, don’t quite look like headliners. It could be said that both night’s second headliners (Architects and FFAF) should have been headlining, but it doesn’t really matter. What the band lack musically they make up for with their enthusiasm and infectious sense of humour (something TDEP didn’t have.) Although the music can get a little repetitive they break things up nicely with some mid-set entertainment; throwing their rider out into the crowd, complete with cheese and oranges flying through the air! They perform a decent set list and pack in a lot of fan favourites, alongside a well received new song and their easy-listening rock ensures that everyone leaves in a good mood from a festival that looks on course to become a prominent feature in the hardcore scene for years to come. More photos from the festival can be found here:http://pushtofire.com/photos/Hevy2011/index.html
Many thanks to Emma for arranging press access for George and Dan. Photos by Dan Easton (Kluens.co.uk).