Live Review: Seething Akira w/aAnd?, BlackMarket & The Slappers at The Lounge Bar in Alton!

There is nothing quite like a grass roots venue show for a few cold beers and a sweat fest of a sing-a-long with just a hint of claustrophobia and The Lounge Bar in Alton is our destination for such activities tonight. Given the calibre of the well respected headliners, we know the place is going to be packed and things are going to get rowdy later on but first we get treated to something a little different. Funk, Soul and Rap five piece The Slappers [7/10] get things started with trio of vocalists flowing together in full effect. Live guitars, bass, drums and keys are give them a raw quality and while there are a few nerves on show, there is no doubting the talent. An intriguing performance that includes a couple of covers sees their soulful female vocalist shine, her voice giving the band a solid platform on which to build their sound. “Walk On Water” by Eminem featuring Beyoncé is given a run out and is an obvious choice done justice before we get a little showmanship during “Red“, the guitar behind the head for a solo Hendrix style cracking a smile.

It’s been a little while since BlackMarket [7/10] played a show and is shows as tonight they look a little nervous as well as missing their bassists stage presence. In the same vein as tonight’s headliners, the band put Metal guitars through synths and 90’s tinged programming, the issue being that here the guitars are too low in the mix to have the same impact. That being said, their vocalist demonstrates real showmanship and attempts to fill the void, stalking the stage while spitting rap screams and unclean vocals in equal measure. “Freak show” from their 2021 self titled album is a solid piece of Nu-Metal inspired tune before a cover of “Bodies” by Drowning Pool, chemically enhanced by synths goes down a storm, an instant sing-a-long that gets the blood pumping. Proving they’ve made good use of their time away from the stage, a new song never before heard is played and confirms their future is just as bright as their past has been.

It’s no secret that the head to foot black and white checkered Spandex wearing aAnd? [10/10] are a band we’ve been waiting the better part of six years to witness. Our stars simply haven’t aligned up until now but tonight they prove worth the wait with a set front loaded with muscular angular riffs galore. Turning up the intensity the lights are dimmed before the four piece drive home their pulsating rhythms with fierce battle cries. Cuts like 2021 single “Dduck!” get the mosh pit going before “Bear Hugs” threatens to tear the place apart, the band making great use of microphone packs to free them from the need to stand and scream in a traditional fashion. You can bet they’re as hot as hell in their outfits but it’s all part of the show as the enigmatic quartet have eyes set to kill. They close out their set with not one but two new songs, which bodes well for the future given how sporadic they have been with their commitment to tape over the years and both sound like absolute belters.

The main event is Portsmouth Electronic Nu-core collective Seething Akira [10/10] who are one non-stop party train from the moment they take to the stage. As they seamlessly mesh together 90s break beats, EDM and Metal guitars with their grime infused vocals, their ridiculous energy levels turn the whole venue into one giant mosh pit. Both vocalists take turns at getting involved too, not afraid to get hit by a sweaty body or two as and when thing get bouncy. Cuts like “Something In The Water” and “Punishment Instructions” go down a storm as their last album “Nozomi” gets ram raided before while new song “Resilient” proves that there is far more left in the tank. Anger, despair, defiance and unapologetic honesty runs through their very hearts and as they have a similar mentality to the much loved Pitchshifter, it wouldn’t surprise us if they whipped out a over. There are times during their set that if feels like the venue is too small to contain the infectious energy the six piece give off as the Tech-Fest and Bloodstock veterans sound like they’re about to spontaneously combust at any given moment.