Review – Blood Youth

Date: 2nd March 2019

Supports: Lotus Eater, Palm Reader

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The first band taking to the stage tonight were the Glaswegian gloom metallers Lotus Eater. With hardcore dancers starting to move even before the band played their first note it was clear to see that these guys had already amassed one hell of a following. What followed was 30 minutes of pure noise! Breakdown after breakdown crashed through each one getting heavier than the last and to screams of ‘I want to see a murder’ it was clear too see that the energy from the stage was being matched by the crowd. One of the first playthroughs of new track ‘Mother’ really showed that these guys are on the up and are only going to get bigger from here. Keep an eye out for these guys hitting the big time in 2019 after signing with Hopeless the world really is theirs to take over!

Filling the main support slot tonight we’re Nottingham lads Palm Reader. One of the success stories of 2018 it was a joy to see these guys get announced as a support and they certainly did not disappoint. Smashing through a whole host of tracks the band really showed how they could go from ethereal guitar tones to guttural breakdowns in a matter of seconds. They really are the complete package and with sets like this I’m really looking forward to catching these guys again later on in the year. Hits like Swarm and Internal Winter all filled the room with energy and really hit home how much this band are one of a kind. The one thing to take away from this set was that they have succeeded in somehow making all their tracks sound different but still quintessentially Palm Reader.

The final band to take to the stage this evening were headliners Blood Youth. Given the amount of love they receive at The Key Club for their hometown shows it no surprise that they keep on coming back each time. The hype for them this time was just as great with their new album starve being released just a few days before the tour. Opening the night with {51/50} to build the mood it was clear from the beginning that tonight was going to be focused on the release of Starve. With over half the set list being from their new album, Blood Youth’s dedicated fan base showed that they had already had the album on repeat as every word of the tracks from their new album was screamed back at them! With some of the top tracks from Beyond Repair thrown in alongside a throwback to one of their first songs in Closure it was a night that really showed that Blood Youth were on top of their game tonight. Leeds very much greeted them with open arms tonight with bodies flying left right and centre from the start and even plenty of crowd surfers. The night was well and truly theirs to bask in and if all shows on this tour follow suit then it’ll certainly be one to remember for these guys!