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Review: Skindred/Blackgold/Saint Agnes, O2 Academy
Incredibly, it’s nearly 30 years since Benji Webbe and his fellow Welshmen in Dub War first trundled over the bridge from Newport in their transit van to play in Bristol. Back then, it seemed like they were really onto something with their tribe-uniting blend of metal and reggae. But while metalheads were enthusiastic, the era’s ‘too cool for school’ indie brigade never really took to them. A change of band, two decades and eight albums on, Benji’s Skindred are suddenly an overnight success, notching up a chart hit, a sold-out tour and appearances on BBC Breakfast TV and that boring dads’ music progamme Later . . . with Jools Holland.
First up on this three-band bill are Saint Agnes – a sweary riot of squealy guitar, fuzzy bass and impressively thunderous drumming, with a distinct Rage Against the Machine vibe about them. Resplendent in a white dress, Kitty A Austen has a strong voice and, like most young women in bands these days, seems to be very cross about something. Opener At War With Myself suggests that mental ‘elf may have something to do with it. They’ve got some strong songs, with Bloodsuckers proving a stand-out, and are well worth checking out when they return to play the Exchange in January.
is needed now More than ever
It seems a little premature for nineties nu-metal to be bathed in the warm glow of nostalgia, especially given how godawful so much of it was, but that’s what seems to be happening, with a full-on revival underway. The modishly masked and anonymous men of Blackgold blend hippity-hoppity sounds with the Limp Bizkitisms and even have a fella behind the decks to make those authentic squiggly-squiggly noises. It all does absolutely nothing for this reviewer, but a large proportion of the youthful capacity crowd are won over, especially by their cover of Cypress Hill’s I Ain’t Goin’ Out Like That.
The lights go down and AC/DC’s Thunderstruck is played over the PA, followed by the Imperial March from Star Wars. Yes, it’s exactly the same opening as last time Skindred were here. And the time before that, if memory serves. But while they could perhaps be forgiven for enjoying a leisurely victory lap in celebration of their long-overdue chart success, there’s a whole new audience to entertain tonight, many of them brought in solely by new album Smile. It’s a collection of songs characterised by Skindred’s absolute confidence in what they’re doing, which has now been fully vindicated. Little wonder they elect to play most of it tonight, beginning with Set Fazers.
While it would be untrue to say that Benji has more costume changes than Madonna, he certainly enjoys raiding the dressing-up box to produce multiple jackets, shades and headgear throughout the show. Indeed, he announces that he cannot play the summery L.O.V.E. (Smile Please) – Skindred at their most dancehall – in his rock gear, so dons a particularly outlandish pink hat for the song.
Guitarist Mikey Demus might have trimmed his Billy Gibbons beard a little, but continues to provide the band’s rockin’ backbone, dropping a few bars of Back In Black into Pressure along the way. Drummer Arya Goggin and bassist Daniel Pugsley remain a formidable rhythm section and are clearly invigorated by the recent upturn in Skindred’s fortunes.
If I Could proves to be a stand-out rocker from Smile, while Benji continues to radiate his usual positivity as he introduces Life That’s Free with true stories from his own life (“Don’t laugh, you bastards!”)
Cracking recent single Gimme That Boom takes its rightful place among the old favourites (Kill the Power, Nobody) in the latter part of the set, sending the mosh pit into even more of a frenzy. And right at the end, masked blokey from Blackgold reappears to join in the big traditional encore of Warning, featuring the fabled Newport Helicopter – as seen at festivals across the UK all summer. Expect to find Skindred headlining those festivals next year.
Read more: Metal & Prog Picks: November 2023
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