And this was the original mic stand incident…

Third annual Uni-on live music festival. Last Thursday to Sunday. Review and pictures by Ian Duncan.

I KNEW Gallows’ performance would be a classic when the singer’s mic stand missed my head by inches.

As I was busily photographing the band’s opening song, I had not noticed Frank Carter unleash the missile in my direction.

The first I knew about it was when I felt a dull thud on my shoulder – but I lived to tell the tale.

It was clear that most of the crowd, which the organisers put at 375, had come to see Saturday’s headline act.

It would be fair to say Gallows stormed on stage and right from the beginning had the audience in the palm of their hand.

They played as a four-piece because guitarist Steph Carter – a final-year music student at Hull University’s Scarborough campus – had been struck down with a severe bout of flu and just standing upright proved difficult enough.

Frank’s one complaint was how cold it was and he urged the crowd to huddle together like penguins. And it was not long before he was in the middle of the penguins to share their heat.

He stormed around the stage with the energy of a demented two-year-old, jumping around like a Tasmanian Devil on speed, with language as colourful as his heavily tattooed arms, and bellowing with both ferocity and feeling.

Backed solidly by Laurent Barnard on guitar, Stuart Gili-Ross on bass and Lee Barratt on drums, Frank went through most of the band’s debut CD – Orchestra of Wolves – and the crowd lapped it up.

Gallows has been described in the national music press as the best British punk band since the Clash and this was definitely a performance I will not forget for a long time.

The Paperpushers could not have been a bigger contrast to Gallows, with their own brand of jazz-funk.

Opening with a cover of Jamiroquai’s Deeper Underground, they then launched into several of their own songs – complete with a human beatbox.

For me the highlight of Friday’s event at Vivaz were Mantra, a tight three-piece reminiscent of the finest Seattle grunge. Their influences include Alice in Chains, Black Label Society and Pantera: good honest driving rock at its best.

The rest of the weekend featured a wide range of music, from acoustic to full-on grindcore metal, a good indication of the talent on offer at the campus.

From the Scarborough Evening News on Wednesday, February 7, 2007.

Going to the Gallows was over the edge

Gallows, The Leadmill, Sheffield. Monday, June 11, 2007. Reviewed by Ian Duncan.

WHEN I last saw Gallows, guitarist Steph Carter – a final year music student at the Scarborough campus of Hull University – missed playing at the gig because he was suffering from a really bad bout of flu.

But he was back on fine form for this tour, thrashing about the stage like he was plugged into a very high voltage, wailing like a banshee.

The band seem tighter these days and are hotly tipped for nu-punk stardom by the music press.

Steph’s brother, vocalist Frank, had the audience in the palm of his hand and relished goading them at every turn – handling hecklers like a seasoned stand-up comedian.

Although they were only on stage for 45 minutes the setlist was jam packed and they rattled through a number of cuts from the debut CD – Orchestra Of Wolves – and even included a Black Flag cover.

Rounding off with the album’s title track the crowd roared its approval with a chorus of howls.

This is how rock should be, raw, dripping sweat and definitely over the edge.

From the Scarborough Evening News on Wednesday, June 13, 2007.