Live Review: RADAR Festival 2023 - Sunday
Words: Dan Barnes
Photos: Ruben Navarro / Eleanor Hazel / Aneta Robak
The final day seems to have come around quickly and holds more exciting icing onto RADAR’s already impressive cake. Dead Speaker kick things off with some post metalcore; Where Oceans Burn seem more at home on the larger Victoria Warehouse stage than they did at the Star & Garter a few weeks ago and make use of the space and a more powerful sound system.
Forlorn take a gothic approach to their sound, mixing it with abrasive riffs and death growls. They are the evolution of what was once know as Female Fronted Goth Metal; now no longer requiring the gender identification, Forlorn build unscalable walls of sound, unapologetically heavy and on a foundation of dissonant drums, with Megan’s vocals being a cross between Julie Christmas and Corpsegrinder.
Much like Owane and Jack on Friday, I Built the Sky are all about the guitar noodling. Brighton duo, Lake Malice, were a definite one to watch for the day and they didn’t disappoint. Taking a leaf out of Wargasm’s book, Alice and Blake combine heavy guitars with harsh electronics to produce a gritty and grime caked sound. There’s a jump-da-fuck-up moment and plenty of bouncing and, if I’d known there was a physical aspect to the day, I would have carb-loaded last night.
German instrumentalist Long Distance Calling are very much the straightman to RADAR’s plethora of experimental bands. They go about their business with a ruthless competency and get a rousing reception for their troubles. This is The Callous Daoboys’ first jaunt outside of their US home and, on this showing, they’ll be back soon and often. Running the gamut of what Alternative music can mean, the band play a Dillinger-meets-Faith No More while listening to brutal death metal and grind. In the style of Converge. It’s sheer Mathcore insanity with interlude that include, among many, a section of Neil Diamond’s Sweet Caroline [bah-bah-bah!].
I last saw Caligula’s Horse back in 2015 at Sound Control (don’t look for it, it’s not there anymore) when they supported Norway’s blackjazz experimentalists, Shining. I remember them being so impressive I bought the CD of Bloom and was a bit disappointed the recorded material lacked the power of them as a live outfit. This afternoon’s show reminded me why I’d liked them on that cold November night; Jim Grey makes an amiable host and the band are in full mastery of the complex musical passages. Rust, from Bloom, is given a new lease of life here and I think it’s time for a reappraisal of the album and an acquaintance with the rest of the Aussie’s discography.
Although they have the tunes to do it adequately, Ghost Iris decided to pile on the destruction through eviscerating lights and ear-shattering sound. The Djent-y Danes were in no mood to take prisoners this afternoon and no quarter was offered. Instead, we were presented with a full-on assault of the senses. Ten56. Seem to be spending a lot of time in Manchester this year, with their appearance as Alpha Wolf’s support in April and a return scheduled on the Never Say Die Tour in November, it’s a good job the band don’t appear to have a sedate show in them as they supplement their Hardcore starting point with Nu vibes and Death growls. Heck, there’s even the suggestion of jazz, funk and a little electronica just for good measure.
Late recruitments, Resolve, bring a certain Gaelic flair to RADAR with their expansive and emotional post-hardcore. Volumes focus much of their attention on their Happier? album and providing the gathered with a time of respite before the headliners appear. Wrought with emotion, the likes of Bend and Weighted have a streak of melancholy running through, whereas album and set opener, FBX, spits bile with the best of them.
It was only a few weeks ago that Loathe were in this very venue supporting Spiritbox and a couple of weeks before that they were at the Outbreak Festival; could one deduce that for Liverpudlians, Loathe seem to be spending a lot of time in enemy territory. But, when you’re rapidly gaining a reputation for being one of your generation’s finest bands, you pitch up and play wherever you like.
Like that night with the Canadians, tonight’s Stage 2 headline set is culled mainly from the latest record, I Let It In and It Took Everything, offering mournful synths and grinding guitars; Kadeem is a frontman for the ages and can captivate and mesmerise as easily as he can rip your face and snap your neck. In the future, we’ll remember where we were when we saw Loathe play such small rooms.
Which brings us to RADAR’s closing act, Periphery. If Sleep Token were the draw for Friday, then these lads have it in the bag for Sunday. It’s almost wall to wall Periphery shirts and expectations are high after three days of great bands that RADAR’s first foray to Manchester climaxes in a rousing success. Such is the devotion to the Washington DC natives that I’m pretty sure they could have played anything and still wowed the crowd. As it was, the band opted for a run through their whole recorded history, with something from every disc, giving most airtime to Djent is Not a Genre and This Time It's Personal.
Live debuts are given to Zagreus and Dracul Gras which sat comfortably alongside fan favourites, Icarus Lives and Reptile. The set closed out with a look to the Juggernaut albums, Alpha’s Four Lights and Omega’s Stranger Things and so the curtain came down on RADAR Festival 2023.
I hope the organisers found their relocation to Manchester to have been worthwhile. The turnout seemed to be healthy, the venue staff and security were excellent, and the sound and visuals were fitting for the show. From a punter’s point of view, I think it was an enjoyable three days, with lots going on apart from the music to occupy the time of those whose ears and feet needed a rest.
A marker has been sent down for RADAR 2024 and we await those first announcement with some anticipation. Thanks to all who made the festival such a success and a pleasure to attend.
Photo credits: Ruben Navarro / Eleanor Hazel / Aneta Robak
