Live Review: Mercury’s Well w/El Chapo, Boomhauer & Treehouse at Reading Facebar!

What do you do when you put an album release show on during the height of British Summertime? You go beach vibes, that’s what. So for one night only, it’s Hawaiian shirts, shorts, inflatables and lei, those necklaces of flowers given in Hawaii as a token of welcome or farewell. It’s a scorcher outside and it’s shaping up to be likewise inside with Reading Progressive Death Metal trio Mercury’s Well setting the scene for a night of flamboyant fun, their mission to create an album release show that lives long in the memory…

Sometimes you’ve got to let all that stress come out, just sit back, relax and listen to the sound of the horn, reminding yourself all the while exactly what life is about. Ska tinged Emo outfit Boomhauer [8/10] open tonight’s show in the best possible way, building things up for the heavier bands while at the same time showing what their made of. Moments of Celtic Punk interspersed with bouncy riffs and heart felt vocals work really well with the sing-a-long anthem “Crook” having the words sung back by the crowd, the band coming out like a heavier version of Reel Big Fish. Tonight is totally DIY and the band overrun their slot but when they bust out a cover of “Careless Whisper” by George Michael to close their set that brings the two steppers out in force, it’s a resounding triumph.

Treehouse [7/10] go out so hard opening with the intro of “The Downfall Of Us All” by A Day To Remember that plectrums go flying and they have to take a moment to get their s*** together… or maybe it was on purpose. Either way that was a hilarious start to a set which is based around cuts with lyrical themes that run on Mental Heath, desperation and worthlessness that is nothing short of a scream-a-long cathartic release in honest Emo with a sprinkling of Post-Hardcore stardust. “Unappealing” might be the title of their EP but actually these guys could be the next big thing…

There are Crossover bands and there is El Chapo [7/10] who are neither South American or drug lords. The trio bring a brand of Hardcore infused Sludge Metal and absolutely crush with cuts from “Rise And Grind” and if you don’t know, they earned our Best EP title in the World Ever award for their debut “Breakfast At Riffany’s“. Each cut is a fierce sonic abrasion with enough swagger to bring out the spin kickers early doors. Who needs flashy solos when you’ve got caustic riffs and throat splitting vocals that leave you sounding like the bastard child of Crowbar and Will Haven? They’re also the one band that Mercury’s Well bassist Tiff doesn’t join for an onstage cameo…

They may describe themselves as being a Progressive Death Metal trio but by Jove there is a healthy dose of the Avant-garde about Mercury’s Well [9/10]. They love a bit of good sweaty fun and in this sweat box of a venue they absolutely destroy with a full album set. From a blistering rendition of scream-a-long album opener “Fire“, which is immense to the brilliance that is “Nadir“, the band are… on absolute fire. It’s as if they’re letting loose a few years of pent up aggression in one single show due to some Global event or other, despite playing the venue in May. During their Metalized love song “Zenith“, which is aired for the first time live, the band receive the cancan treatment from the audience, although whether they actually notice is up for debate, the band are so focused on their instruments. The banter from the stage has been top drawer all night and bassist Tiff keeps it going throughout, something which more bands need to do as it makes for much more of a spectacle. There is no question when it comes to the set highlight, a circle pit around a pillar during “Mercury’s Well” from “Mercury’s Well” by Mercury’s Well, which is hilarious good fun and proves that Brutta aren’t the only ones to perform the naming trick. Tonight is a lesson in how to put on a DIY show and if all shows were even half as good as this, we’d be as happy as Leisure Suit Larry. Remember him?