Gig Review: SAINT AGNES at The Deaf Institute, Manchester (UK) (17/10/2021)

 

It feels like a lifetime ago I bought tickets for this gig. Since then, I managed to see Saint Agnes play the Download Pilot (click for review), and they were awesome, so I'd been really looking forward to seeing them play a full headline show. Their latest mini-album, Vampire (click for review) is great, and well worth checking out if you haven't already.

I arrived in time to catch the main support, Sit Down. The Brighton three-piece have some catchy songs, with a distinct 90's vibe. Their music is a little poppier, albeit fuzz-tastic, and less aggressive than the headliner's, but they still sounded like a good fit for the bill. OK, they had some annoying, ear-splitting feedback between songs which really got on my tits, but for the most part, I enjoyed their set. 

Sit Down

Opening up with the raucous, energetic Daughter Of Lucifer, Saint Agnes were captivating from the start. The sound was fantastic, and the band was clearly a well-oiled machine, ready to go. They played eleven songs, back-to-back with no encore or frills. It was an intense hour of banger-after-banger. 

The set comprised of mostly their newer material, with all four original songs off Vampire, all four from The Family Strange EP, brand-new single Uppercut, and two from their debut album, The Witching Hour and the title track. Their sound is constantly evolving, and the set represented them where they are right now. That's fine with me, as I think their more recent material is their strongest.

Their new single, Uppercut, was a ferocious highlight, coming accross as heavier and more powerful live than on the studio recording. I'm With You Everywhere You Go was another track that truly thrived in the live environment, moreso than on record. The set flowed well, and I felt it was dynamic and continually rewarding, with no dull or awkward moments whatsoever. The only downside is that it all went by so quickly! 

Saint Agnes are one of those bands that seem to be genuinely breaking though at the moment. They're  great live band and have loads of killer songs. The band is on tour right now, so catch them if you can while they're still playing in small clubs.

Saint Agnes

Saint Agnes

Album Review: VENUES - Solace

 

01. Razorblade Teeth
02. Whydah Gally
03. Rite Of Passage
04. Uncaged Birds
05. Into The Fire
06. Down Below
07. Shifting Colors
08. Our Destiny
09. Deceptive Faces
10. Mountains

Album Review: SPIRITBOX - Eternal Blue

 

01. Sun Killer
02. Hurt You
03. Yellowjacket (feat. Sam Carter of Architects)
04. The Summit
05. Secret Garden
06. Silk In The Strings
07. Holy Roller
08. Eternal Blue
09. We Live In A Strange World
10. Halcyon
11. Circle With Me
12. Constance

Top HALLOWEEN movie recommendations for 2021

The last time I did a 'Top movies for Halloween was five years ago! God, I'm fucking lazy! The list I did back then (click here to read it) was more of an 'all time favourite' list, and I'll happily recommend those films every year. 

I thought, instead of a 'best of'', I'd just recommend some Horror movies that I simply think are cool. I picked '13' movies because 666 seemed a little excessive. Let me know if you watch any of these, and if you enjoyed them or if I wasted a chunk of your life.

HALLOWEEN KILLS (2021)

OK, I haven't seen this yet but I'm going to recommend it anyway. You were already planning to see this at the cinema next week, right? The follow-up to the fantastic Halloween (2018) (Click for review) looks amazing, and I'm more excited than a squealing little pig.

UNCLE PECKERHEAD (2020)

This is the story of a punk band who meet a dude who ends up being their roadie. He just neglected to tell them that he turns into a flash-eating monster. This film is great fun and I can't recommend it enough. CLICK HERE for my full review.

PSYCHO GOREMAN (2020)

Psycho Goreman is a Horror/Sci-Fi/Comedy about an intergalactic warlord who finds himself under the control of a child in suburbia. I absolutely loved it, and if stupid shit is your thing, you'll love it too!. CLICK HERE for my full review. 

TERRIFIER 2017

Art the clown is a new Horror icon who deserves to be up there with Freddy, Jason, Leatherface, and Chucky. Terrifier is a fucked up, violent movie that's as funny as it is twisted. CLICK HERE for my full review.

TRAIN TO BUSAN (2016)

This Korean zombie movie is an absolute gem. If you're a fan of 28 Days Later and The Walking Dead, you need to see this ASAP! CLICK HERE for my full review.

A CLASSIC HORROR STORY (2021)

I recently watched this Italian movie on Netflix and really enjoyed it. I won't spoil it by giving much away, but it involves a group of people who have an accident in a camper van in the middle of nowhere, and the only building around is the creepiest looking house ever. Would you go in there? Oh, and the cinematography is gorgeous. 

MIDSOMMAR (2019)

A few American students travel to a remote part of Sweden to stay with a cult during their celebrations. What could possibly go wrong? Didn't they watch The Wicker Man? This is a beautifully shot movie and tackles topics such as grief, mental illness, and toxic relationships with a maturity that you don't see in Horror that often. The acting is superb, and it's not surprising that this movie made such an impact.

THE FOREVER PURGE (2021)

I love all of the Purge movies and the TV series too. This new instalment doesn't disappoint, and if you're a Purge fan but haven't got round to seeing The Forever Purge yet, get on it! I love the social commentary, this time the emphasis being on racism and immigration. The Forever Purge is another brilliant chapter in a series that is as important as it is entertaining.

CHOPPING MALL (1986)

If it's 80's trash you're looking for, look no further. This is an absolute classic! Imagine if a bunch of teenagers played by actors in their thirties sneaked into a shopping mall to 'party' after it has closed? What if the mall had recently replaced its security guards with malfunctioning killer robots? You know where this is going. 

JAKOB'S WIFE (2021)

This is a really cool vampire film about a minister's wife who wants more from life than what she's ended up with. Becoming a vampire gives her a fresh sense of empowerment. This is a fantastic movie with a strong feminist tone and plenty of gore and dark humour. Incidentally, the lead actor, Barbara Crampton, was also in Chopping Mall.

FEAR STREET (All 3 Movies) (2021)

Earlier this year, Netflix released this trio of movies that are part of the same story about a town that has been cursed by a witch, but with each having a different feel. The first is set in the 90's and has the associated look and soundtrack, bringing back memories of the slasher films of that era. The second borrows heavily from the Camp Crystal Lake aesthetic, and the third, at least visually, reminded me of 2015's The Witch. All three are 'Teen Horror', so appealed to me a lot, and despite each film's individual character, they all worked well together and this trilogy became a highlight of this year's movie watching. 

Album Review: THE WILDHEARTS - 21st Century Love Songs

 

01. 21st Century Love Songs
02. Remember These Days
03. Splitter
04. Institutional Submission
05. Sleepaway
06. You Do You
07. Sort Your Fucking Shit Out
08. Directions
09. A Physical Exorcism
10. My Head Wants Me Dead

Album Review: GARBAGE - No Gods No Masters

 

01. The Men Who Rule The World
02. The Creeps
03. Uncomfortably Me
04. Wolves
05. Waiting For God
06. Godhead
07. Anonymous XXX
08. A Woman Destroyed
09. Flipping The Bird
10. No Gods No Masters
11. This City Will Kill You

Album Review: RISE AGAINST - Nowhere Generation

 

01. The Numbers
02. Sudden Urge
03. Nowhere Generation
04. Talking To Ourselves
05. Broken Dreams, Inc
06. Forfeit
07. Monarch
08. Sounds Like
09. Sooner Or Later
10. Middle Of A Dream
11. Rules Of Play

Album Review: KK's PRIEST - Sermons of the Sinner

 

01. Incarnation
02. Hellfire Thunderbolt
03. Sermons Of The Sinner
04. Sacerdote Y Diablo
05. Raise Your Fists
06. Brothers Of The Road
07. Metal Through And Through
08. Wild And Free
09. Hail For The Priest
10. Return Of The Sentinel