Dear superstar, Skarlett Riot & BastRad 03/11/12
Finally getting to the venue after being lost in the middle of Manchester with a taxi driver that had no idea where he was going, the setting was a dingy club with a tiny stage. Not what I had expected from a headliner band like Dear superstar, especially as this was their homecoming gig!
As we entered the building we could hear the first support band starting up and what an impressive sound that was. This was a new up and coming band called BastRad originating from York. The crowd was sparse although the atmosphere they created was electric. With their Metallica inspired sound and enthusiastic stage presence it was a given that the 
crowd would become enthralled in this band as they well did. Technically this band could not be faulted and this combined with the range of tone coming from the singer Martin Drury made for an outstanding set! This is one the most promising new bands I have had the opportunity to see recently and I believe they are set for big happenings. Check them out at http://www.facebook.com/#!/bastradmusic?fref=ts
After such an impressive start it would have to be quite a spectacular performance from the second support band to follow that and in this case it was! Skarlett Riot came onstage, the crowd was building up nicely and it was clear to see they had a lot of fans present. Hailing from Scunthorpe in the summer of 2010 this band has already had a large amount of success with one of the highlights being given the chance to play Download festival 2012. As they kicked in with their first track the charisma from the lead singer Skarlett was evident. She has a great look but can also hold the crowd and all the attention was directed to her. The only problem this band seemed to have was the fact that the stage was so small they were not able to easily express their enthusiasm. This 
sometimes made them appear uncomfortable and I believe they would have put on a much better show if they had not been so restricted. This however did not deter from the music they played and it was obvious the crowd enjoyed the set. This band is already heading for bigger and better things and are defiantly a one to watch. Check them out at http://www.facebook.com/#!/skarlettriotuk?fref=ts
As this was Dear Superstars homecoming gig obviously the crowd were eager for them to arrive on stage. By this point the venue had filled up and the atmosphere was positively charged. When they started the whole place was bouncing and it was plain to see how loved this band was. There were a few technical difficulties but this did not get in the way of them doing what they do best and it was obvious the crowd did not care. 
The crowd were singing along to each and every song and the presence coming from Micky the singer was mind-blowing. He was able to work the crowd so easily and got them going for every song. There was even the point where there was a “vodka fuelled stage invasion” where the band got a large amount of the crowd onto the stage with them to sing along which was quite an incredible sight to see considering it was one of the smallest stages I had ever seen! This was one of the most entertaining gigs I have ever been to and it was evident that all the bands and each person attending enjoyed themselves. Dear Superstar are heading for great heights in the music industry! Check them out at http://www.facebook.com/#!/dearsuperstar
Review By Kim Emerson.
Photographs By Rachael Stoves
You must log in to post a comment.