JUSTIN'S LIVE REVIEWS W/C 01/07/02
Charlotte
Leicester
June 4th 2002
SKINDRED
VACANT STARE
MINDLAPSE
Reviewed by Anthony Stone
MINDLAPSE
To be honest I caught the end of their set. But, from the upstairs room at the Charlotte, it sounded like there was a battle going on between an opposing army of tractors and tanks. They made one hell of a noise and not all of it melodious.
VACANT STARE
The Charlotte was not as full as it should have been but the stage was fuller than it could have been. Vacant Stare’s vocalist spent the majority of the band’s set in the audience prancing around flicking his long hair, in the Gents, accosting spectators or just sitting on the floor. However all these antics did not detract from the quality of the vocal delivery. They were equally as loud as Mindlapse, but far more polished and with well-crafted songs. Watch out for these guys.
SKINDRED
So, I stood wondering if they were going to be as loud as the previous band, Benji appears on the stage and things kick off with the air raid siren that was a trademark opening for Dub War. They go into the first track and it is at once evident that they are going to blow the previous two bands away. Benji has a fantastic voice, and with what seems a freer reign in this band, has made full use of it. His vocal gymnastics range from soft tuneful musings, to full on Rasta-rant and metal growling and screaming to match the best of them. Benji’s voice is complimented by the band who know exactly when to quieten down and let him shine, and when to blast it out to enhance the power. As ever Benji and the boys throw themselves into the evening full pelt and the quieter interludes are a welcome treat, if only to marvel at the structure of the songs. Skindred are a force to be reckoned with a band to aspire to and most definitely one to watch. Stand out tracks on the evening where Pressure, Babylon and Set It Off.
