LIVE REVIEW: Paleface Swiss @ XOYO, Birmingham

A gig early in the week can come with a few questions: What if there’s hardly anyone there? What if the crowd doesn’t get into it? What if the band are tired and don’t put on a good show? It’s likely we’ve all been to a couple where one of these things is true. These questions were quickly forgotten on a chilly Tuesday evening in Birmingham as Swiss hardcore hero’s PALEFACE SWISS arrived after gallivanting around Europe on their Cursed tour.

The first question – What if there’s hardly anyone there? – Easily solved due to the sold out nature of the show. The other two – what if the crowd doesn’t get into it or the band don’t put on a good show? – it became quickly apparent that these worries were unwarranted.

UK hardcore band DESOLATED made sure to get the party started. Before the first song had even started and the band were just making their entrance to the stage, the crowd split in half horizontally so the front and the back were no longer joined. The band dropped into their track Numb and suddenly the two stepping and leg kicking all started. Now to be real, there were approximately a maximum of 10 people participating in these pits, but they sure made up for it with their enthusiasm. The band seemed to come prepared for their show, bringing their friend on the tour whose role was purely to get the pit going. He put in 100% effort, throwing himself every which way, even bringing a few cartwheels to the floor.

The band were loving it, and combined with their fast paced beats and aggressive vocals, it definitely made for a memorable scene. Within the matter of a two and a half minute song, it seemed that these early moshers had set the tone for what was to come. In the midst of it you could see a hand waving about a phone which had become totally unrecognisable and smashed to smithereens. Surely a good sign of appreciation for the band’s opening track.

However, it seemed DESOLATED wanted more. As mentioned, the pit lacked numbers somewhat, even with a huge amount of space sacrificed by the crowd. The band relayed that they’d been told the venue didn’t take very kindly to moshing, but they sure as hell weren’t going to listen. After making their way through some equally angry tracks, they announced “We have two songs left so if you wanna get yourself  kicked out before our set gets cut short, now’s your time.” A bold call to action and a solid opening indeed.

Rating: 7/10

There was a slight palette cleanse before THE ACACIA STRAIN hit the stage in the form of a mix of light jazz and rap playing over the speakers.

If the venue security thought they’d be able to chill for the rest of the evening, they’d have been wrong. Opening with Flourishing, vocalist Vincent Bennett wasted not time expelling his brutal vocals to get the pits back up and running, doubling in size and getting a bit more rowdy. The band’s rolling riffs demand attention, and whilst the lyrics might not roll off the tongue for a new listener, they were definitely entertaining to watch.

THE ACACIA STRAIN brought the fun. One of the most entertaining elements of the set was Bennet’s ability to finish a gut punching song, and then just calmly turn to the crowd, smile innocently and then say thank you in an almost shy tone. This juxtaposition was amusing and gave the next song even greater impact. At one point he raised the mic, placed it on the outside of his throat, then proceeded to shout through it causing the output of noise to have this cool distorted effect – an unusual but fun touch. To describe the set in four words: Chuggy, breakdowns, squeals and smiles.

Rating: 8/10

Then came the main event, PALEFACE SWISS. The hardcore heavyweights from Zurich had no issue at all getting the crowd absolutely raging. Combining hardcore, deathcore and some rap elements, this band brings all kinds of fun. Opening with Hatred, the first main track on their latest album Cursed, it had everything you’d want to get the crowd jumping – aggressive vocals, groovy beats and some great builds and drops.

One of the greatest successes in most PALEFACE SWISS songs is their pacing. There’s always a fantastic rhythm to cling on to, have a little dance and a headbang, and overall just vibe with. There were many opportunities for crowd participation in songs such as My Blood On Your Hands, opening with the crowd clicking along to the beat before dropping fully into the filthy track.

As well as generating some contagious tunes, the band also made their fans feel truly appreciated. In an effort to spread the message of inclusivity at their gigs, lead vocalist Marc ‘Zelli’ Zellweger gave drummer Cassi Toma a big old kiss. He followed this by telling “anyone who had a problem to get the fuck out” before swiftly leading into Enough – a track passing on the message to the haters in their lives who have issues with the band not being masculine “enough” and that their music isn’t heavy “enough”, that they really don’t give a damn. This public display to call out hate and discrimination was really touching and caused the crowd to erupt with cheers. 

Each member of the band had this incredible stage presence that just gave off really effortlessly cool vibes. From behind the scenes content on their social channels, you can tell they’re all up for a laugh and don’t take things too seriously. The music itself however, they put their heart and soul into and this passion is contagious.

This heartfelt feeling ran through as they broke up the generally hard and heavy set with the track River Of Sorrows which draws on the more melodic talents of the band. This dark and beautiful song created such a fantastic atmosphere in the packed room that you could have watched it for hours. This transcended into a touching moment where the band took a few minutes out of their set to thank members of their touring crew who they wouldn’t have been on stage without – this included their sound and lighting techs, their tour manager and even their merch sellers.

A touching gesture from a band who clearly truly appreciate those around them. And of course, this moment wouldn’t have been complete without PALEFACE SWISS ending with a triumph; the meaty and explosive Please End Me, which received every ounce of moshing it deserved. 

Rating: 10/10

Check out our photo gallery from the night’s action in Birmingham from Serena Hill Photography here: 

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