Gig review: HEAVEN’S BASEMENT – Sound Control, Manchester, 12 July 2013

Heavens Basement - Sound Control, Manchester, 12 July 2013

This must be the hottest ticket in town tonight as not only is it a sellout but it is also a scorcher in the venue, but even so the it’s over half full and the doors have only been open 10 minutes or so. There are three bands for our entertainment tonight, kicking off with Skarlett Riot.

Skarlett Riot - Sound Control, Manchester, 12 July 2013

This four-piece rock band are fronted by Skarlett who really does know how to belt her voice out, backed by brothers Luke (drums), Danny (guitar) and Tom (bass) they give a great set of good honest rock music. Hard hitting, solid rhythms, and  great vocals, what more could you want. They certainly hit it with the crowd.

I must admit that Buffalo Summer really are my sort of music, this Welsh four piece deliver a great bluesy rock sound with a great big chunk of 70′s rock mixed in for good measure. They don’t copy the 70′s they just take the influences from the likes of Free and Zeppelin and produce music with a great  groove yet modern feel to it.

Buffalo Summer

Their self titled album released in 2011 really is an excellent debut with future classics on there like ‘She’s All Natural’ and ‘Down To The River’.  Tonight they managed to  get the crowd in to the groove and quite rightly shouts of more and encore rained on them at the end of their set.  Definitely a band to watch out for and hopefully some future headline shows.

Heavens Basement

Heaven’s Basement have undergone quite a few changes over the years since their formation back in 2008 but it seems now that they have got the right lineup in place. The two original members Chris Rivers on drums and Sid Glover on lead guitar/backing vocals are joined by Rob ‘Bones’ Ellershaw on bass and the ever exuberant Aaron Buchanan on vocals.

Touring there album ‘Filthy Empire’ released earlier this year and on the back of their single ‘Fire Fire’  getting substantial airplay the amassed crowd were here to have fun.  When the kicked off with  ‘Welcome Home’ it certainly did feel like a welcome home as the crowd went wild and the scene was set for the rest of the night.

Heavens Basement - Sound Control, Manchester, 12 July 2013

Aaron made a few, planned I’m sure, surfing excursions into the crowd ensuring he got into the crowd as much as he could and including the audience in the show. ‘Fire Fire’ did what it was supposed to and wound the crowd up into a frenzy that saw the first of many mosh pits get going for the evening. With Aaron and Sid both working the crowd the crowd got a full on onslaught of Heaven’s Basement at their very best.

Tonight’s performance was by far the best show I have seen from these guys, I caught them a few years ago at Hammerfest and while they gave a good show there they have grown so much since then and developed an awesome sound which really suits them.

Nearing the end of the set Aaron saw yet again amongst the crowd but this time walking atop of them supported by crowd hands. The night ended off with ‘Executioners Day’ and gave the crowd one last chance for mosh which they willingly did.

Touring now until late December they are really giving the fans a great chance to see them and widening there fanbase with every gig.

Review and photos by Simon Dunkerley

Heaven’s Basement Setlist
Welcome Home , Can’t Let Go, Fire Fire, Lights Out In London, Heartbreaking Son Of A Bitch, The Long Goodbye,  Nothing Left To Lose, I Am Electric, Paranoia,  The Price We Pay,  Jump Back, Reign On My Parade,  Unbreakable, Executioner’s Day

Heaven’s Basement Tour Dates 2013

Aug 02 Wacken Open Air Wacken, Germany
Aug 03 Free & Easy Festival @ Backstage Munich, Germany
Aug 10 Into The Grave Leeuwarden, Netherlands
Aug 21 Chinnerys Southend-On-Sea, United Kingdom
Aug 22 Slade Rooms Wolverhampton, United Kingdom
Aug 23 Leeds Festival  Leeds, United Kingdom
Aug 25 Reading Festival Reading, United Kingdom
Sep 06 Gorge Amphitheatre George, WA, United States
Sep 07 PDX Rockfest Portland, OR, United States
Sep 09 The Intersection Grand Rapids, MI, United States
Sep 10 Gillioz Theater Springfield, MO, United States
Sep 11 Diamond Ballroom Oklahoma City, OK , United States
Sep 14 Discovery Park Sacramento, United States
Nov 22 Essigfabrik Cologne, Germany
Nov 23 Melkweg Amsterdam, Netherlands
Nov 24 Vega Jr Vesterbro/Kongens Enghave, Denmark
Nov 26 Nosturi Helsinki, Finland
Nov 27 Klubi Tampere, Finland
Nov 29 Fryshuset Södra Hammarbyhamnen, Sweden
Nov 30 Sticky Fingers Inom Vallgraven, Sweden
Dec 01 Gruenspan Hamburg, Germany
Dec 02 Eskulap Poznan, Poland
Dec 03 Columbia Club Berlin, Germany
Dec 04 Arena Vienna Vienna, Austria
Dec 06 Theaterfabrik Munich, Germany
Dec 08 INIT club Rome, Italy
Dec 09 Factory Milan, Italy
Dec 10 Komplex 457 Zurich, Switzerland
Dec 12 Trix Antwerpen, Belgium
Dec 13 Cabaret Sauvage Paris, France


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