Skindred - Cambridge Junction 20/12/18
Read Ryan's interview with Benji here
When speaking to Benji Webbe (vocalist) of Skindred before the show,
he told me that I was gonna get f*cked* after I told him Id
never seen them live before. He was right.
From the first notes of show opener Big Tings to the final
chords of set closer Warning, Skindred were on fire and
the crowd reciprocated that energy.
As soon as AC/DCs Thunderstruck played,
Skindreds entrance music, you knew you were in for a rock n
roll show. On their most recent album, Skindred have ditched some
of their more metal and dub elements in turn for a more straight up
hard rock sound. While this may have disappointed some hard core fans,
hearing these songs live they are just as ferocious as any thing else
from their nearly 20 year career.
Show openers were Tigress, a female-fronted Alt-rock band. The woman
had a very strong singing voice and the songs were strong but somewhat
generic. Perhaps the most interesting part of their set was having
Christmas presents containing their t-shirts thrown into the crowd.
Sonic
Boom Six
Main Support were Sonic Boom Six, a ska-metal-punk band
who have been in the game almost as long as Skindred have. They managed
to get the crowd dancing: they had a few of their own fans in the
crowd and certainly made some new ones on the night too.
Theres no one quite like Skindred when you think about their
style but no one is like them live either. On that night in the Junction
the crowd were treated to everything from Oasis to The Prodigy mixed
into their own songs. Benji commands the crowd like a military commander
but is also capable of drawing emotion in a powerful speech about
making an effort for your friends and family before performing Pass
It On.
While their stage time was just over an hour and about
12 songs long, the setlist was littered with fan favourites from the
thick riffs of Ninja and Kill the Power to
the t-shirt swinging anthem Warning and an acoustic rendition
of Pass It On. There really was something for everyone
in this show.
Whether you are fan of their genre-bending style or not, there is
no doubt youd walk away from a Skindred show wanting to see
them again.
Words and Skindred pix - Ryan Bird
http://www.skindred.net/