It’s another packed night tonight at the Jericho and great to see such a big crowd back to grace the tavern after the technical difficulties of Heat 7 saw a last minute cancellation of the heat. This has seen the advancement to the next round of all three bands due to compete in Heat 7. Incredibly, we are already closing out the last of the Heats! Up tonight are Bloodshot, BlackMarket and YT1300.
Oxfordshire based four piece Bloodshot open the evening with masses of fast-paced galloping guitars and chuggy breakdowns. These guys were violently loud with a brutal and punishing almost industrial-type sound. They are clearly professionals at work and are fully immersed in what they are creating. Professionals at crafting ambience, the set was laced with lots of reverb and complementary lighting that all combined brilliantly to build atmosphere. The crowd are enthralled and are head banging dutifully throughout the set.
Enduring screams from the vocalist combine perfectly with some really impressive guitar work; the sweeping solos providing a beautiful contrast to the relentless, all-consuming rhythm of the drums and bass. Despite being almost completely hidden by their backdrop, the drummer cements his presence and anchors the set together with precision. A slower interlude takes things down a turn and transforms the brutality of the set into something resembling a ritual. Overall, an energetic, tight and crushing set.
Watford based “nu-metal with a twist” band BlackMarket are up next and put on a blistering performance with huge amounts of energy from the entire band. Their front man in particular didn’t stop moving for the duration of their set. BlackMarket’s sound is a very unique blend of heavy rap metal with lots of really nice electronic elements that all combine to add depth and interest – that extra something a bit different that leaves you wanting to hear more.
This was a captivating and confident performance that you just wanted to keep watching. It was tight, fast and fun and really got the whole room moving. These are truly talented musicians at work, and they really knew how to command the stage and the crowd. Despite it being their first gig in Oxford, BlackMarket definitely made a huge impact and really left the impression that they are built for a bigger stage.
YT1300 closed out the evening with a beguiling set which instantly drew the attention of the crowd. A Star Wars themed band, they took to the stage complete with inflatable lightsabers and the main vocalist resplendently clad in Princess Leia attire. At this point, let’s be honest – it doesn’t even matter what they sound like, this is a winner in my book. It is truly magnificent the way the mere sight of a pile of inflatable lightsabers elicits such a sense of excitement that grown adults instantly regress. It takes mere seconds for a lightsaber mosh pit to open and absolute chaos to ensue. The band are clearly enjoying themselves too, and it doesn’t take long for the bassist to exit the stage and join in the lightsaber melee.
Their sound is more on a punk rock wavelength. Thankfully they are not style over substance and they put on a really enjoyable show that consisted of a lot of fast groovy bass and riffs that just make you want to move. The set contained a lot of short songs due to the bands “short attention spans” – but this isn’t a detriment and the crowd are absolutely loving it!. It’s different, it’s memorable and most importantly it’s fun! This is the kind of set that everyone walks away from having had a good time; it’s the only option. We all love a bit of ridiculousness and escapism and these guys delivered that in spades. At the end of the set there are genuinely smiles on every face and that is what live music is all about.
Results time – Bloodshot cleanly go through on the crowd vote which is unsurprising given the number of Bloodshot t-shirts I saw dotted around the venue throughout the evening. Judges vote time and BlackMarket deservedly take the final slot for the quarters. This means we do sadly have to say goodbye to YT1300. We now look to the quarter finals where we can look forward to 17 bands competing for a chance to get to the Semis. Stay tuned for the next phase of the road to Bloodstock!
Words & images: Kate Elfström
