Stone Broken, Those Damn Crows + Baleful Creed - 10th February 2019

Stone Broken, Those Damn Crows + Baleful Creed - 10th February 2019

As I make my way down fountain street, my breath materialises in front of me. As it dissipates into the night, a low rumbling grows. It’s emanating from the top floor of local music hostelry Voodoo, which plays host tonight to a contingent of hard rock fanatic and headbang enthusiasts. The scuzz is palpable as I make my way through the door.

First onstage is Belfast’s own Baleful Creed. The heavy rock quartet, known for their weighty riffs and ruthless demeanour, are having some fun tonight onstage. While sticking to the meat and bones of their gruff sound, we are treated to some wavey psychedelic blues in between licks. These deviations don’t last however, and it’s not long before pounding drum fills are shaking my back wall table and gruff, leathery textured vocals are searing the paint of the wall. Ripping up the stage with a prehistoric sound steeped in the blues (a wild harmonica appears for a moment), psychedelia and rock, BC burn bright and step back into the shadows following their final cymbal crash.

The second opener is Those Damn Crows who appear from nowhere as if summoned by some Welsh magic.  A distinct modern sound, notably from the vocals, carries their set throughout the night. Like their predecessors, TDC look to have a bit of fun tonight, surprising the crowd with a hard rock version of Pinball Wizard. The five-piece, silhouetted against a film of smokey haze and strobe lights, continued the gritty spirit of the event with a series of power ballad choruses, resounding growls and mounting waves of loose, grimy riffs.

The crowd, now thoroughly warmed up, welcome headliners Stone Broken to the stage with a cheer. The modern rockers smile to each other before tearing into their rough cut groove. The steely whine of the guitar rides alongside the soaring vocals of Rich Moss and Chris Davis. “Nobody wants you, nobody needs you” they bellow, and the crowd obliges back. The relentless onslaught of the percussion shakes the hollow spaces in our chests as hand soar in applause after each number. Full throttle from start to finish, SB ensure that they live up to their reputation as a high octane live act, as their rollicking fervour threatens to tip the building on its side. The set ends with a ferocious growl, the lights come on and we evacuate, sweaty and ears ringing. There's not a whole lot more you could ask for.