Coming into the pub on Wednesday an hour before the first opener started playing, there was only few people at that time, mainly the bands and their friends. Going out on a weekday is something many people would not usually do, but if they decide to give it a go, especially for the Midweek Moshpit at the Signature Brew in Haggerston, they are going to be surprised in an extremely exciting way.
The first openers, Not Like This, definitely put on an unforgettable performance, as this was their first time playing live. The punk band’s presence, catchy melodies and well-written lyrics were spectacular and it was sad many people just stood around during their set, getting warmed up.
Next up was Compounds, a melodic hardcore punk band. The energy in the room was definitely getting more pumped up, as the Reading band’s singer sang in the pit most of the time and the crowd was getting bigger and more hyped. Backed up by brilliant melodies and very emotional lyrics, the band flew through their set swiftly and aggressively.
Third and main support was London-based Chaos Reigns, a band that had the most cheers out of all acts that night. The set started off strong with the vocalist Jason Heightman jumping right into the crowd, where he spent majority of their performance. With the spectacular riffs the band is well known for, and the fans moshing to all songs, it is safe to say the band really stole the spotlight. Jason was also very creative in utilising the small venue, from crawling on boxes and tables to letting some fans take him to the stage, which was very entertaining to watch and absolutely made the performance stand out.
When you see a band putting up their flag behind the stage, you know the concert is going to be wild. And Nymphic’s set was definitely that. The femme-fronted band brought us their energetic set full of mysteries about the Nymphic Flower spirit and made the pub move around. Sadly, the crowd got smaller after Chaos Reigns, but that definitely did not stop vocalist Stix Warner, bassist Antonio Giannattasio, guitarist George Pitt and drummer Omar Perez to unleash the best of them, as they reclaimed their spot as the headliners. It isn’t hard to spot the influence from acclaimed power machines like Linking Park and Rage Against the Machine, but the band still has their own and, needless to say, unique aura, that makes the listener want more.
Although in the middle of the week, the concert definitely had some great names and kickstarted a promising path for Not Like This, who I am sure we will hear about more in the upcoming years. Lightning and staging were very simple for all sets, as the venue was small, but were set up just right and definitely didn’t stop either band in giving the best of them to their audience. Punk concerts like this one definitely show us that the live music isn’t gone and is more relatable than ever, and it is heartwarming to see the mutual support of the bands, as they grow together.
Words and photos: Katerina Stepanikova
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