The majority of gigs follow the same structure; Opening act, support act(s) and a headliner. Sure the supporting bands are important, but rarely do they share the same kind of spotlight or hype as the main act. In the case of Loa Loa’s show at The Hope & Ruin however, this was exactly the case. Every band tonight was given around the same level of stage time and each genuinely blew me away for their own respective reasons, it is gigs like tonight which make you realise just how lucky we are to live in a city with such incredible upcoming talent.

Starting things off are PROJECTOR, from the first note the room is hooked. The opening riffs are powerful and inflict a cataclysmic amount of energy which, as the vocals kick in, sparks an immense sense of synchronisation between both vocalists. Whilst male vocals do lead in the majority of songs and the singer’s tones do fit the overall sound well, it becomes clear that the supporting female vocals are somewhat stronger and there are times I wish she would take the lead. Their sound is somewhat similar to Black Honey (coincidentally the drummer is wearing a Black Honey t-shirt) but with just that added bit of electronic from a plethora of effect pedals which are beautifully used. As an opening act, PROJECTOR are brilliant, they have more than pumped up this crowd for the next acts and will have certainly gained a few fans tonight.

Sick Joy are second to play and possibly offer the highlight of the entire night. Not only does the room ‘feel’ the fullest it does all evening, but their set is certainly a force to be reckoned with. There is nothing more exciting than finding a band who genuinely surprise you and vocalist Mykl Barton has done just that. Mykl’s voice is one of the strongest and most varied I’ve ever heard, his ability to effortlessly blast power notes before immediately transitioning into coarse screams or softer tones is rarely this accomplished, even amongst the most established of bands I’ve seen. The level of hard riff and instrumental intricacy from this trio is simply fantastic, each note is executed flawlessly and when combined with such a wide vocal variation from Mykl, the complete sound truly makes for something special. I cannot wait to see what else Sick Joy can come up with and I can see these lads blowing up very quickly through their unique sound, potentially offering a glimpse into the future of rock music.

Gender Roles are up next and introduce an entirely different, yet welcoming vibe to the evening. A combination of more grungy and raw sounds are overlaid by the charismatic vocal performance from Tom Bennett. Despite some technical issues with the bass, the band see this as no challenge and gladly continue as though nothing were amiss. Tom’s humorous showmanship really brings a spark to the evening that was missing and by the time their set is over, it is clear that everyone has a smile on their face and is having a great time; Gender Roles have more than done their job!

I could already more than happily walk away from this evening feeling satisfied with the performances I’ve witnessed, yet we’re still here to see the main act! Loa Loa are possibly the best representation in combining all of the great aspects from the previous bands playing tonight in one complete package. Their sound is hardcore, their vocals are raw and, most of all, everyone is having a fantastic time listening to them. As the band break into their set with ‘Give Me What I Want’, the energy is raised as they thrash and throw themselves about the stage, with more than a few audience members happy to join in the frenzy as well. For any trio band, it is always tough to make your sound feel ‘complete’, yet Loa Loa have clearly mastered this art, each guitar and bass lick bounces incredibly well off of each other and only add to the intensity of every screamed note from the vocals. The name Loa Loa actually comes from a type of parasitic worm that festers in the eye, a creature which the band proudly share their name with, and tracks such as ‘Pyrrhic’ are clear examples of just some of the ways in which this gruesome trio more they live up to their nightmarish name.

Overall, little can be faulted from any of the bands playing tonight, it is gigs such as this one which make me incredibly grateful to be able to review and discover upcoming artists. This evening has shown not only a potential glimpse into the future of hardcore and rock music alike, but is a perfect representation as to why the Brighton music scene is the best in the UK. I am incredibly excited to see the ways each of these bands progress and I’m sure that this will not be the last time they will be featuring in Brightonsfinest.
Ben Walker

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