Keepers of the Faith

Brudenell Social Club is perhaps not the easiest venue to find. I took the train from Leeds to Burley Park and emerged into a post-apocalyptic landscape inhabited by cockroaches, students and menacing-looking small business owners. Nobody seemed to know where the venue was and even Google Maps was reluctant to help me navigate the mean streets.

I eventually found the place by complete luck and was shocked to see that it looked like, well, a social club. I stepped into the lounge where three old men sat cradling halves of bitter and looking miserable. My resolve not to drink was being tested, but I ordered a Coke (£1 for a half; possibly  the cheapest in all of England) and sat near some younger patrons.

As the place began to fill up, it became apparent that I was going to be one of the oldest people at the show. This was fairly depressing, but still the £2.90 John Smith’s Smooth did not tempt me. Old habits die hard and I went outside where the smokers congregate despite no longer being a smoker. As I exited the building some girls asked me what time everything was due to start. I assumed this was because I have an air of event promoter/tour manager about me, but it’s likely they just asked the first person they saw.

Rumours were circulating outside: Survival hadn’t turned up, the singer from Brutality Will Prevail hadn’t turned up, two people from Emmerdale were inside (one of these wasn’t actually mentioned). I spoke to two of the other token older concert-goers for a while, one of whom asked me where I’d bought my t-shirt (apparently it’s ok for men to ask this sort of question; who knew?) and at around 8 o’clock things actually finally got underway.

First up were Survival from Manchester (they had arrived late, so the no-show rumour was technically true at the time I heard it): blistering hardcore. Next, also from Manchester, Broken Teeth: blistering hardcore. The final support band were Brutality Will Prevail (the vocalist was not their normal vocalist: he was otherwise engaged, so that rumour was also true): blistering Welsh hardcore. Never before have I seen three support acts as good as these and they proved that there are a lot of young bands in this country who still play old school hardcore. No sign of anyone from Emmerdale though.

By the time Terror took to the stage the room was like a furnace and sweat was running down the walls. Too many sweaty, shirtless types were standing waiting and the men weren’t much better. As soon as they started playing, the place erupted. I’ve never seen so many people stagediving and in front of the stage looked like a mass brawl with people bouncing, shoving and slamdancing into each other. What fun! They played for almost an hour: 16 songs including the first ever airing of a new one from their forthcoming album.

When they’d finished playing, vocalist Scott Vogel came into the crowd and was talking to people. I fist-bumped him and said something about an “awesome show”. I then turned around and promptly fell up the stairs, proving that I can make a twat of myself perfectly well without the help of alcohol.

Oh, and proving camaraderie still exists, one of the guys who I’d spoken to briefly earlier offered me a lift back into the city. I accepted and obviously didn’t end up being stabbed to death or anything.

Hardcore lives.

Check out this footage from the show if you can be arsed:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwK78oqplpM