PERIPHERY
O2 Ritz Manchester – 19 May 2017
Last night I went to see Periphery at the Ritz in Manchester. Having liked this band for many years, I already knew what to expect.
As always with Periphery there was an amazing atmosphere which was heightened by the support bands, the epic Destrage from Italy – who unfortunately we didn’t catch due to traffic around Manchester, but heard nothing but good reviews about – and hailing from Indianapolis, The Contortionist, who played a short but VERY amazing set with tracks form their latest album Language.
When Periphery had settled into their set, owning the stage in the way that only they do, they burst into their well-known song “Marigold”. They had the crowd eating out of the palm of their hands, screaming along with every word and they sang their sweaty hearts outs.
Absolutely superb lighting from the off, and the drums were LOUD. Matt Halpern certainly knows how to hit his drums – some of the best drumming I’ve seen at a gig for a long time.
In all honesty, I’ve seen them play before and although technically the band were superb on the night, singer Spencer Sotelo’s vocal were getting lost in the mix. Whether it was a sound issue or just a bad day at the office, I was a little disappointed. Also, the set was very brief – a mere 45 mins, which for a headline band was a little short. If you’d not seen them before, it isn’t long enough to really appreciate them.
All in all, it was a good gig aside from sound/vocal issues. The crowd was amazing, which gave the venue the electric atmosphere you’d expect from a Periphery gig. Great stage presence and technically brilliant, Periphery handled the crowd with ease.
Highly recommended.
Review by Rob Wyllie
Photos by Rob Stuart Photography
Photos by Rob Stuart Photography
