LIVE REVIEW: Creeper @ Old Fire Station, Carlisle
Although the Cumbrian town of Workington is immersed in rock/metal heritage, being the landmark where EARTH officially changed their name to BLACK SABBATH back in 1969, the city of Carlisle is very rarely a pitstop within the usual touring cycle. This is what makes the arrival of CREEPER and their intimate Sangui-Tour to the sold out, 420 capacity Old Fire Station feel even more special, particularly after recently gracing arena stages across the country in the support of ICE NINE KILLS.
With an eager crowd arriving early for the nights events the venue was nicely filling up awaiting the arrival of supporting act, THE HOWLING. Having only been on the scene a short duration their stock is already beginning to rise, having just recently been confirmed to perform in the RIP exclusive Courtyard Stage at this year’s Download Festival. Their debut EP Salvo is yet to hit the shelves but they collectively displayed considerable confidence and composure like they were born to be on the stage. Previously released singles Little Promises and Unholy possessed an energetic, polished swagger which fully engaged the crowd. To further reinforce that bond the quartet showcased a riff-infused rendition of the iconic singalong Like A Prayer by MADONNA which had all in attendance gleefully belting along at the top of their lungs. Whilst their time on stage felt like it flew by all too quickly, they certainly left a lasting impression and undoubtedly scooped up plenty of new fans off the back of their impressive outing.
Rating: 8/10
The intimate nature of this occasion may not allow CREEPER to come equipped with all the bells and whistles which an academy/arena/festival setting would accommodate but their synth-laden anthems are tailor made for such an outing. It took mere moments for the eye-patch donning figure of frontman Will Gould to have the crowd physically and emotionally bouncing with adrenaline. With a set solely focused on both installments of their Sanguivore releases, the sextet made every inch of stage available to them count, meticulously reeling off instant classics like the electrifying Headstones and intoxicating Mistress Of Death. Speaking of female powerhouses, the captivating Hannah Greenwood had the crowd eating out of the palm of her hand as she took centre stage to lead a masterful performance of Razor Wire.
Very much akin to GHOST, CREEPER are best experienced in a live environment, gothic-tinged tracks like Black Heaven and Parasite hit on an entirely different level. Getting to see them in this current era feels like witnessing a band at the peak of their powers, with a setlist suitably crammed with infectious choruses, spellbinding solos and the ideal mixture of intensity and theatricality. They have spent vast periods of the last couple of years squeezing as many shows as possible into their calendar and this has resulted in them becoming an unstoppable, well oiled machine that many a band would struggle to match. Despite their hectic schedule they show zero sign of weariness or waning enthusiasm. The city of Carlisle was treated to a superb array of musicianship and will be firmly etched into the “if you weren’t there, you missed out” category.
Rating: 9/10
Check out our photo gallery of the night’s action in Carlisle from Dan McHugh here:
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