Simon Rushworth
@Newcastle Riverside, January 19 2015
Welsh rockers Funeral For A Friend have been knocking around for more than a decade, gaining a cult following of emo kids that haven’t changed in appearance and attitude over the last 10 years. While the look of the fans hasn’t changed, the numbers have certainly dwindled – so much so that only half the venue was opened for the night and the second downstairs bar was curtained off.
Despite the numbers, the foursome had a record to promote to a flock of die-hard fans – fans who knew every word, fans who believed every word and fans who have spent every day of their lives worshipping the band. With this kind of adoration, it’s clear to see why FFAF find it so easy to find the energy and enthusiasm on stage to deliver every time.
Announcing their dissatisfaction with the financial divide across Britain, they were greeted with a rousing response from a seemingly socialist Geordie crowd. This relationship blossomed through the show as Matthew Davis-Kreye brought an energetic performance despite a poor vocal presence – although this could have been blamed on the sound team. From start to finish, it was almost impossible to distinguish the vocals, with the volume appearing much lower than that of his supporting band mates.
While the vocals were frustrating at times, the crowd didn’t complain as Davis-Kreye pulled out fan favourites Streetcar, Pencil Pusher and Roses For The Dead. In turn the masses repsonded with a mixture of passion and enthusiasm, and an ‘I’m not too cool to show any emotion’ attitude, making for an unusually warm atmosphere for the post-handcore boys.
Although the numbers didn’t exceed the 300-mark, there was a feel of a much larger audience and the guys will surely have left happy knowing they still have a set of hardcore fans in the North East.
Adam Keys