LIVE REVIEW: Green Lung @ O2 Ritz, Manchester
Since forming in 2017, the rise of London’s GREEN LUNG has been nothing short of meteoric. The riff slingers, armed with a love of classic heavy metal and English folklore, have struck a chord and with each passing year, the band seem to hit new heights. We saw this with their landmark appearance at last year’s Bloodstock, which boasted one of the biggest crowds of the entire festival, and now, the band are set to perform their biggest indoor show of their career; at the O2 Ritz in Manchester.
Openers SATAN’S SATYRS have a distinct flare and swagger that rolls back the years to the 1970s. The Virginia-based band may be decades late to that period but their enthusiasm for sleazy rock and roll is charming and a fine way to open proceedings. Primed with new record, last year’s After Dark, the quartet are in fine form with the likes of Full Moon And Empty Veins and Black Souls striking a chord with several heads beginning to bob.
Lead vocalist and bassist Clayton Burgess oozes swagger and slick rock ‘n roll attitude that, albeit cheesy, fits the tone of his band’s craft rather well and his enthusiasm for their delivery charges the band in a strong opening performance.
Rating: 7/10
The UK is quickly becoming a second home for Portland’s UNTO OTHERS. The band have toured extensively on our shores in recent years and whilst 2022’s headlining run saw disappointingly sparse crowds in spots, this time around, a sold-out Manchester crowd awaits the band. Making the most of their time as main support to tonight’s headliners, UNTO OTHERS deliver a wonderful bout of goth-soaked heavy metal.
Leaning heavily on last year’s excellent Never, Neverland, the band impress right from the off with the likes of Butterfly and Momma Likes The Door Closed building early momentum whilst a one-two punch of the anthemic Jackie and Suicide Today sees the band soar. Whether it’s the thrashy Heroin or their wicked take on the RAMONES‘ Pet Semetary, the crowd are incredibly reflective, whilst frontman Gabriel Franco continues to bolster his reputation as one of metal’s coolest figures.
Although some glaring omissions from the set – notably When Will Gods Work Be Done and Downtime – is a disappointment, what we are treated to is a performance from a special band carving their own niche in metal’s rich tapestry, and long may it continue.
Rating: 8/10
The last time GREEN LUNG graced Manchester, they were across the street at the much more intimate Gorilla, tonight, they headline the sold-out O2 Ritz. It’s quite the impressive feat and within moments of their triumphant opening, it becomes immediately clear that their meteoric ascendancy is entirely justified.
An opening run of Woodland Rites, Mountain Throne, Templar Dawn and Leaders Of The Blind ignites utter glee amongst the crowd as the band ignite their set with the biggest of bands as a sea of heads bang and sing every word back to energetic frontman Tom Templar who doesn’t put a foot wrong in a near-perfect performance. It’s heavy metal on the big stage and it has never sounded this good with a superb mix helping each component of the GREEN LUNG sound shine.
Much fanfare has been made that Manchester and London will be the biggest indoor shows of the band’s career so far, and as such, GREEN LUNG mark the occasion in style. An elaborate stage setup allows the band the additional room to parade the stage to reflect the crowd’s fevered energy as they charge through their stellar discography. However, the masterstroke comes with the addition of THE OOSETTES. The female folk trio sprinkle aural magic on a spine-tingling delivery of Song Of The Stones – one of the most beautiful moments of the entire set – and remain present throughout the remainder of the performance. It’s a subtle addition to the band’s live presence, but it works utter wonders.
From there, it’s a victory lap from one of the UK’s most exciting bands in metal. Maxine (With Queen) is an utter romp, and a thumping encore of The Harrowing, Old Gods and Let The Devil In give the crowd one final bout before a triumphant rendition of One For Sorrow calls curtain on a landmark evening by UK metal’s new torchbearers.
Throughout the course of GREEN LUNG‘s headlining set, there were numerous moments. Moments that felt like a “I was there” moment. Moments of sheer glee that only the best live metal can bring. Genuine excitement. Perhaps most exciting of all though? It feels like the band are just getting started.
Rating: 10/10
Check out our photo gallery of the night’s action in Manchester from Sabrina Ramdoyal Photography here:
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