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Saturday night at the New Cross Inn was one for the storybooks - a legendary hardcore band
making a one-off return, a band who’ve been a staple of the British scene for a decade calling it quits, and a band who only played their first live show together in January staking a claim to be one of Britain’s best live hardcore bands.
Still In Love opened proceedings as young upstarts in comparison to the other two names on the bill, but were anything but out of their depth. The group found their feet after all of half a second, and set the tone with a cacophonous set that worked its way through nigh on their whole discography, making every stomach-churning breakdown and brain-bruising riff a moment to behold. Could there have been a better band for the opening slot of this specific show? I really don’t know if there could have been.
GEIST, meanwhile, were playing a set at an entirely different part of their career. After ten years of the North-East boys decimating stages and venues up and down the UK, they’ve sadly decided to throw in the towel. However, of all dates to wrap up their time with us they couldn’t have chosen any better, with a sensational performance that even included a song they’d written and never previously performed; christening it ‘The New Song’ on their final
performance. The atmosphere was muted, with the whole crowd far quieter than in either of the other two sets, but with an enormous round of applause after they finished which was absolutely deserved. We can only hope that each member carries on creating music in some way, so as to carry on their amazing creative outlet.
Finally came time for the headline act - 14 years since their last UK show, and 18 since their
last-but-one album (their most recent being this year), The Hope Conspiracy provided a portal in time to some of the best hardcore shows of the 2000’s. The audience was utterly bonkers, crashing upon the stage like a wave and flowing round the room, stepping up to the microphone all night, and bringing all the energy of an enormous explosion.
Opening with ‘Those Who Gave Us Yesterday’, an air raid siren started blaring to signal the beginning of what might be the bands last show (which is just another reason that this show was a lot for even the most hardened hardcore veteran), and playing through hit after hit till they finished up with ‘They Know Not’, as the crowd gave every last iota of energy they had left.
Some people will ask you if you saw Slipknot’s Download headline set in 2009, some will ask if you saw the My Chemical Romance reunion shows, and some will ask if you got lucky enough to buy an Oasis ticket - but for those in the know, being able to say you saw this lineup at the New Cross Inn one cold October night will trump any and all comers.
Words: Jake Longhurst
Photos: Gabby Adler
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