Following their triumphant return with their newest smash record, Knowing What You Know Now, Marmozets are back on the rock scene like never before. Tonight when they play an absolutely rammed Concorde 2, the evening is full of nothing but excitement, heavy riffs and the most beautiful vocal performance of the year.
Opening tonight are Queen Zee, not a name I was familiar with before this show, but definitely one which won’t be forgotten. The group open with an absolute tsunami of thrashy riffs and heavy screams, their level of heaviness injects an immediate rush of adrenaline through the room and only continues to grow and grow through their set. The group thrive on their passionate messages against trans/homophobia through tracks such as ‘Fly The Pink Flag’, which amongst this Brighton crowd is met with a fantastic level of equal passion and encouragement. Queen Zee are a sublimely varied and diverse band who I can see making some large waves as they continue to share their message and put on shows as energetic as this; definitely a name to keep an eye on.
As the room blends into an even tighter packed mash of bodies, the lights dim and Marmozets enter centre stage. Instantly, the riffs and unique sound which gave this band such hype comes to light through ‘New Religion’. The fast pace guitar work, heavy bass and blurringly quick drums all cumulate a purely colossal sound, but it is vocalist Becca Macintyre’s work which really provide the mesmerising edge which has skyrocketed this band into the big time. Becca’s tones are incredible, they are powerful, vastly ranged and controlled to such a strong degree that it’s simply unbelievable. The passion behind every word is there and the crowd are also eager to share their passion back to the band, the night is well under way.
As the motion continues to flow, the heavier sounds don’t let up, ‘Start Again’ and the older classic ‘Move, Shake, Hide’ both make early appearances and continue to keep the crowd bouncing, moshing and chanting along to the sharp beats. Every member’s energy is up and they proceed to bounce across the stage in fantastic fashion, the ferocity in Becca’s eyes only continues to intensify as she picks audience members and locks eye contact as she sings and screams into their faces.
The instant vocal transitions from singing to screaming that Becca can undergo are incredibly impressive and are certainly something that few artists would be able to achieve, but she makes it look like mere child’s play. Likewise, the few slower numbers shown tonight such as ‘Insomnia’ and ‘Run With The Rhythm’ demonstrate a different aspect to Becca’s voice. During these tracks she shows a far more sensitive and emotional side opposed to the harsh fabric of the hate-filled screamed vocals, which only continues to add further depth to the band’s already awe-inspiring sound.
Much like a listen of their album, tonight’s show seems like it has gone by in a heartbeat and it is tonight’s finale, ‘Captivate You’, which takes the final flurry of piercing solo work and heavy instrumentals and makes for a fantastic end to the evening. With such a passionate show and eagerness to perform, this crowd have melted into the band’s palms.
After coming out of the woodwork since their 2014 release, Marmozets certainly have a lot riding on this album and tour but, after nights like tonight, they are proving that they are back with a vengeance, armed with a bigger, better and more intensified sound. There is no end in sight for this band and they undoubtedly still have so much more to show us, this is definitely not the last we will see from Marmozets and their return to Brighton will surely be even more intense than this evening.
Ben Walker
Website: marmozets.co.uk
Facebook: facebook.com/marmozets
Twitter: twitter.com/MARMOZETS