Concorde 2, 19th October 2009
Skindred are a Welsh band comprising lead singer Benji Webb, guitarist Mikey Demus, bass player Dan Pugsley and drummer Arya Goggin. The band describe their style as ‘Ragga Metal’ – a fusion of heavy metal and reggae. It might sound like an odd combination, but their dedicated fan base is testament to how well it works. The Concorde2 crowd were a mixed bunch, from little metaller school-kids to older dreadlocked hippies.
Skindred’s first appearance of the night was at Harry Ramsden’s chip shop on the New Steine. Once inside the venue, they happily mingled with the crowd and hung out at the merchandise stall with Panic Cell lead singer and sometime touring partner Luke Bell. After a long wait due to an excessive three support acts, Skindred arrived on stage to what sounded like the theme for 20th Century Fox. Webbe, decked out in military fatigues and white rimmed sunglasses instantly got the crowd moving, and the pace rarely let up. This is a front man who loves connecting with his audience, reinforcing the band’s reputation for delivering hardcore live shows. He demands participation from an already rowdy rabble and has an obsession with getting the ladies to scream.
Tonight’s set contained a few covers, including Eddy Grant’s ‘Electric Avenue’ which features on Skindred’s new album ‘Shark Bites and Dog Fights’, a snippet of ‘Back in Black’ by AC/DC and the already much reproduced ‘I got Five on it’. Not that there was any lack of original material; ‘Pressure’ had the moshpit in overdrive. Unsurprisingly for the metal fans in the crowd, there were a lot of elbows in faces, as arms and legs flailed. Also played were favourite tracks from several albums, such as ‘Rat Race’ and ‘Nobody’. When Webb switched to a more mellow reggae vibe, the crowd were like puppets on strings as they followed the groove and made the most of a chance for a relative breather. The band gave an enegetic and committed performance, engaging everyone from the Skindred virgins to the crusty faithful.
Words by Emma O’Brennan Pizer
Photography by Dave Imms
myspace.com/skindred
What did you think of the gig?
Annie Sutton: 10/10 ‘Fucking Immense!’
Marc Manning: 10/10 ‘Sick, wicked night’.
Bud Thompson: 10/10 ‘The gig was sick!’
Guzzi: 10/10 ‘Brilliant mix!’
