Road Closed’s gig with Hydeout and Vivas was the perfect ode to a variety of styles of rock, which filled the room with drama, energy and some serious head-banging!
Hydeout
Hydeout kicked off the gig with a selection of originals consisting of soft vocals capable of a powerful rasp, with rhythmic bass and drums that also accompany a beautifully melodic lead guitar to create an incredible alternative emo rock experience. The band’s set opened the show with an energetic stage presence (and the coolest red sunglasses I’ve ever seen) that involved and included the audience- to the point where the lead singer joined the audience for parts of the performance!
Their unreleased, recently recorded track: ‘(Welcome to) the Human Experience’, was a fine example of audience participation which accompanied a series of dramatic dynamic changes, heavy bass lines and effective use of a cowbell (I love a good cowbell).
Following an inspirational speech about not letting people break you, Hydeout also played ‘Dragon’, at which point the audience was encouraged to mosh, which resulted in me shoulder-barging Viva’s bass player.
Hydeout created an excellent start to this gig and created a sense of community with the audience by encouraging their involvement and interaction with each other. A strong repertoire and a stage presence with unlimited energy makes Hydeout a fantastic band to watch live.
Vivas
Vivas then took to the stage with energetic drums, passionate lead guitar, very well- suited to its style, and beautifully harmonised and intertwined vocals. Their song ‘Bittersweet’ featured a catchy chorus and lead guitar part that resembled a long, stunning guitar solo (the kind that you never want to come to an end). Vivas then introduced some powerful drama and tension with the well-placed dynamic changes of ‘Step Out’.
Their new release, ‘Found You’, was a perfect example of a romantic indie rock song, which was communicated to the audience with more stunning vocals. Vivas’ set also featured a tribute to the Courteeners with an immaculate cover of their hit ‘Not 19’, which was a great way to give the audience an insight into their inspiration.
Vivas are a great band to watch for lovers of powerful guitars, beautiful vocal harmonies, fast drums and catchy melodies.
Road Closed
Road Closed opened their set by demonstrating their lead singer’s extremely powerful vocals with a dramatic and exciting cover of Aerosmith’s ‘Dream On’, which was accompanied by energetic drums, funky bass and breathtaking lead guitar, all of which were sustained throughout the set. Road Closed then followed their cover with the heavy chords, dramatic breaks and insanely energetic solo of ‘Burnout’, before the audience was encouraged to clap along to ‘Relate’.
Just when we thought Road Closed’s repertoire couldn’t get anymore impressive, they decided to play ‘Necessary’, which featured the stylistic fusion of jazz and rock which filled the room with soul, drama, and yet another series of face-melting guitar solos. The seamless, yet effective, changes between light and heavy in this song were the perfect opportunity for Road Closed’s lead singer to fully demonstrate the sheer versatility and power of his vocals.
Their set came to an end with ‘Lightning’, which can only be described by telling you that the lead singer shredded chords so hard that the pick literally disintegrated into tiny pieces, flying into the audience and all over the stage. In a nutshell, it was pretty intense! There was no better way to bring the set, and the show, to an end.
Simply put, Road Closed is what you get when you combine 4 incredibly talented musicians, an excellent repertoire and a passionate, charismatic stage presence.
Overall, this gig was a huge success. It combined great songs, the kind of talent that makes music look effortless, and a level of audience participation and stage presence that can only be achieved by the sense of community and personal touches within the grassroots scene. It was a perfect way for lovers of a personal, interactive grassroots gig to spend an evening.