Gig Report: Fearless Vampire Killers, D.E.A.D!, Evilyn, Don't Stop, Go! @ Think Tank? - Newcastle

Would you trust them with your car keys?

Date: 23th April 2014
Location: Think Tank?, Newcastle

Fresh off their recent festival appearances, Goth band Fearless Vampire Killers returned for their first headline tour of the year. 

First up to the post were Pop Punk band Don’t Stop, Go! Performing for only their second time outside of their native Manchester, their set was far from problem free. Technical difficulties plagued them from the get-go with a broken drum and a snapped guitar string causing them to repeatedly stop. However they still played on a nearly flawless professional manner, carrying on through songs such as 'Hell(ish)' and 'Zero To Hero' when most bands probably would have walked off stage. Whether it is due to the technical difficulties or long coach rides, they lacked some of their usual rebellious energy, but still managed to lure the lethargic crowd into some head nodding and fist pumping.

Who did it for you? Evilyn or D.E.A.D! ?

Next up were London Synth rockers Evilyn, performing in Newcastle for the first time since they announced a new line up, there was a buzz of anticipation and they didn’t disappoint. Their building-up intro of 'The Fire' crashed into a wave of energy which soon had the crowd jumping. You could tell they were a much tighter performance machine as they powered through their hits “The End” and the floor stomping “This Is War” with a clean-cut clarity of sound. It’s not hard to see why they had such a dedicated crowd. 

Main supports D.E.A.D! took to the stage with their own brand of Pop Rock. After an initial lul in the crowd from their first song, “Everything, Everything” soon had hesitant heads nodding. Singer Alex Mountford and Guitarist Sam Matlock carried most of the show, jumping from amp to amp and into the crowd. After flaunting their theatrical side by getting the crowd to howl like wolves and club dance, they finished on a high exceeding many expectations.

We suspect Rimmel, Maybelline and Avon are major endorsers for FVK

The main event sauntered onto stage to loud applause with Fearless Vampire Killers' cabin fever themed intro before exploding into “Bow Ties On Dead Guys” and then straight into their new song “Brain Dead” with unfaltering energy and passion that you’d expect from a Fearless Vampire Killers show. One of the main features of the Cabin Fever tour was the ability to vote for three of the songs played at each show, allowing fans to hear long lost classics. Tonight's chosen songs were "Don Teriesto", "Exploding Heart Disorder" and "Concede, Repent, Destroy", creating a mini trip through the highlights of their discography.

"Don Teriesto" especially went down well with the veteran fans who moshed along unashamedly. Alongside these were a mix of songs from the early "Palace In Flames" to new sample songs such as "Danger!", which some fans already knew the lyrics too, even though it is still unreleased. They finished the set on a high with "At War With The Thirst" (after lead singer Laurence Beveridge had left the crowd and returned to the stage) before leaving to the sound of thunderous applause and pleas of the evident cliche 'one more song'. They may not have all the fancy effects of a large show but they have enough stage presence to fill arenas.

By Ali-Nichol Way.