Live Review - Skindred at Leeds Rio's - 31/10/08

Mishkin - 7.5/10 :

Local Leeds crew Mishkin kick off the main part of the proceedings tonight. With a sound reminiscent at times of System of a Down and ironically, Skindred (in their heavier moments), their avant-garde mixture of metal, funk and even a touch of jazz should be enough to take them further in the near future.



Forever Never - 7/10:
Next up are Londoners Forever Never. Suitably dressed in wizard's costumes for Halloween, they are warmly received by an ever-growing crowd. With some decent riffs and a singer very capable of knocking out a decent melodic chorus or two, they go down pretty well. However, being sandwiched in between two bands as musically diverse as Mishkin and Skindred, their overall impact seems somewhat limited tonight.



Skindred - 9/10:
So to headliners Skindred who, tonight, manage to further cement their reputation as one of the best live bands in the UK right now. With an award for best costume of the night, frontman Benji Webbe is on top form from the word go, constantly moving around the stage like a blur, with a commanding presence that resonates with the now standing-room only crowd. From opener 'Roots Rock Riot' right until 'Nobody', Skindred never let up and the rest of the band match Benji's enthusiasm and drive all the way through, not to mention playing as tightly as an emo's waistband with 'Ratrace' and 'Pressure' being particular highlights of the evening.
After tonight though, and whenever you see Skindred, one thing is always clear - you leave the gig knowing it was damn good but it's not just the quality of the songs, it's something else as well and that something else is honesty. Skindred have never been a band who are 'in it for the money', they do this because they love it and that feeling literally jumps off the stage at you. Give me an honest, hard working and down to earth band like Skindred any day over so many that seem to be more obsessed with their haircuts and their tight jeans than the quality of their performance.

Setlist:
Roots Rock Riot
Babylon
Ratrace
Selector
Rude Boy For Life
Pressure
?
Trouble
Destroy The Dancefloor
Bruises
Nobody

-AdamG.