Narc. Magazine Online
Reliably informed
Laura Doyle enjoys a hot and heavy night of riffs and melody
Image: Hivemind by Adam Littlemore
You’d think the July heatwave was ongoing upon stepping foot into Independent’s upstairs venue, but in reality it was merely the effect of a room full of Hivemind’s ever-growing fanbase getting riled up for an evening of rock from the North East’s new powerhouses.
Opening act To Nowhere were exactly what was needed to let off steam, thanks to their blend of punk-tinged grunge rock filled and fuelled by feelings. Shallow followed, with the other side of classic grunge music: low-energy, but nevertheless full of emotion. Don’t mistake them for a tranquil bunch, though – Shallow struck that perfect balance between heavy and melodic elements to create their stand-out sound.
Despite the crowd flitting in and out between bands for breaths of fresh, unstuffed air, it was all hands on deck by the time headliners Hivemind took to the stage. Despite a not particularly extensive released discography, it’s still impressive that each song on their setlist was met with the same enthusiasm from a dedicated crowd who knew every word – including to brand spankin’ new single Fire! Fire! Fire!, which is as riff-fuelled and rock-tastic as we’ve come to expect from the Wearside four-piece. Hivemind are on an upward trajectory, so hop on and come along for the ride.
