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Arcane Roots seem to have been getting everywhere these days, whether supporting some huge bands across Europe or on their own tour dates but, even when I saw the scale of this April/May tour, I was surprised to see them playing Colchester. The Arts Centre is, of course, one of the most stunning venues around and it’s a thrill to see them here. Even more exciting is the caliber of support band they’ve brought along with them, Black Peaks have recently been getting more attention for their heavy but intricate approach to their songs and Gallery Circus, who we first featured this time last year, are brilliant in their own right.
Gallery Circus take the stage fairly early in the night to a small but interested crowd; quieter moments were actually met by near-silence, a rare thing to happen, a sign of respect for what they were doing. I think there were some similarities in sound to last year’s buzz band Royal Blood, although if anything Gallery Circus take that slight sonic affinity and push past it creating something much more interesting. Stop start drums and heavy use of effects create a sound which mesmerised and I haven’t even mentioned the impressive vocal delivery yet; the vocals were absolutely top notch, something which was present throughout the whole evening across the three bands, falsetto lines coming over smoothly, like they should. Two piece bands seem to be in vogue at the minute but Gallery Circus are certainly a pair to keep a close eye on. More technical than most they definitely deserve your attention.
I had to feel a bit sorry for Black Peaks when they came on, a weird hush falling over the crowd rather than the usual and expected cheering. I’m sure the audience meant well, people stopped talking ready for the music to start, but it did feel a little awkward as they walked onto the stage in silence. I only hope that the response after they performed made up for this moment and they don’t judge Colchester audiences based on that. Thankfully, this didn’t last long, the band breaking into a riff packed epic of a song which seemingly made the crowd a bit more lively! I found myself paying attention to the incredible guitar sections more than anything else, guitarist Joe Gosney playing some ridiculously complex sounding sections, seemingly with ease. A particular highlight of their set, ‘Savior’ sounded intense live, the vocals and the breakdowns sounding absolutely perfect, while the solo section just showed off the talent of the band. A perfect match for an Arcane Roots show, if you’re heading down to any of the shows on the rest of the tour you absolutely must get down early to see them.
It’s been a few years since I last saw a headline set from Arcane Roots, having only really caught them at festivals since and they’ve come a hell of a way since then. Their 2013 album Blood and Chemistry moved them from the good band they were around Left Fire‘s release to a force to be reckoned with. The riffs suddenly sounded monolithic, the vocals sounded beautiful at times and yet brutal when they needed to be. As far as their live show goes though, tonight showed just how far they’ve come. Playing tracks from Blood and Chemistry the songs sound tight, well practiced, and damn heavy. A particular nod to Jack from In Dynamics for filling in on the drum stool due to Daryl’s unfortunate absence – their songs aren’t exactly straight forward so for Jack to perform to such a high standard on short notice is seriously impressive.
There were a couple of things which particularly impressed me, the first being their performance of ‘Million Dollar Question’ which took an older song and gave it a slight twist with their more recent sound, adding a huge breakdown in the middle. It’s the sign of a good band that they’re happy to progress their history along with them; they’ve gotten better as time has gone on and, while the old songs are important, it added something to the track. The second thing; the new tracks. Based on the handful of tracks from their forthcoming album which they performed for us, this album is going to be huge. The only downside, perhaps, is that after watching these you’re likely going to want to hear more.
Overall then, an impressive night of music, all three bands complementing each other perfectly on the lineup. I have no doubt in my mind that both Gallery Circus and Black Peaks will be headlining venues this size within the next year and if you have the opportunity to see them on this tour, or any other dates, you’d be daft not to. This show has made the wait for Arcane Roots new album even harder, the new tracks sound phenomenal and I can’t wait to hear them on record. Hopefully it won’t be too long a wait.
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