LIVE REVIEW: SeeYouSpaceCowboy @ The Flapper, Birmingham

SEEYOUSPACECOWBOY brought The Flapper alive and had complete control over fans in Birmingham on June 18th – they were the puppet masters for the night. The Flapper is, to put it plainly, a sweat box – under normal circumstances there would be even less space, if not for the mound of people being squashed at the barrier in front of frontwoman Connie Sgarbossa. 

Kicking off the night was UPRAISED, unfortunately because of a dreadful parking situation in Birmingham, we missed the Wolverhampton hardcore quintet on the night. Fortunately, second support CAULDRON made up for it to say the least, quickly the crowd parted to make way for some vicious thrashing. The connection to the crowd made for a more personal feel, quite like a DIY show and at one point they were joined on stage by an eager goer to complete a blood curdling verse. Between the gargling growls and their barbaric riffs they filled the crowd with bubbling and volatile feelings: ready to burst at any moment. 

Rating: 8/10

Keeping the stage warm for the anticipated headliners was GRAPHIC NATURE and they really raised the heat in that room. Frontman Harvey Freeman performed with a gripping conviction with every chance he had, dominating the stage and its presence. At one point Freeman offered his support to people suffering with addiction, as he confesses that he has himself, saying “my DMs are always open”. The sincerity only made their performance more visceral and terrifying, fast and unforgiving metal. 

Rating: 9/10

Despite losing some of their gear just days before, SEEYOUSPACECOWBOY opened with Misinterpreting Constellations, Sgarbossa’s vocals that switched from twisted and deranged to brutal screams took the room over straight away. She stands at the edge of the stage with the band’s patrons at the foot, plunging the microphone towards their skulls to join in. Quickly the crowd are ordered to “move the fuck up!” before smashing into The End To A Brief Moment Of Lasting Intimacy. That mound grows again, but the pit still manages to remain as the laddering riff segways them into the track, the lights that Sgarbossa latches onto quake with the weight of the crowd as Taylor Allen delivers the pleading “Take my hand” lyrics.

SEEYOUSPACECOWBOY creates the energy of a natural disaster it seems during the short but sweet 911 Call: “Help I’ve Overdosed On Philosophy!” with low gutturals and static riffs — Sgarbossa stands tall as she runs her finger across her neck sadistically. The pit opens all the way to the bar, arms are swinging and seamlessly You Don’t Understand The Liquor Is Calling The Shots Now Randy Bobandy. Bodies collide brutally during the one-minute thrash. People are now heading for the bar in search of water, desperately becoming dehydrated to no end, with one man whose body glistened with sweat like he was a vampire from Twilight making it his mission to find some water. You would have thought we were in the Sahara desert.

Playing the opening track, Life As A Soap Opera, 26 Years Running, from their most recent album (2021’s The Romance Of Affliction) the energy shifted with the light and high riff that acts as a background to the track. Things were just as bashful and energetic but the start had an enlightened aura to it. The range of vocal styles that SYSC offer on that track sets them apart from a lot of the alike bands, multiple vocalists that use their voices as tools instead of just something to sing with. The ominous start to Late December, which is painfully reminiscent of LA DISPUTE, is spoken and cathartic. The change of pace feels like confession and a weight lifted as if allowing Connie Sgarbossa to let rip with her screams and be a more earnest version of herself on stage – it was truly beautiful to see a different range of emotion leak out of the band. They go on to close the set, fittingly, with Absolutely Absolute Absolution, the screams felt like an attack and the wall of sound felt like a war to make a lasting impression, and that they definitely did. 

Except they gave an encore after fans didn’t leave when they had left the stage. They returned to play a triumphant and glorious The End To A Brief Moment Of Lasting Intimacy for a second time as Sgarbossa confessed “it’s my favourite one!”.

Rating: 9/10

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

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