The Ghost Of A Thousand
Live at Cockpit on Sunday, 17th February 2008
It's minus four outside The Cockpit, as the Atticus tour rolls into Leeds, bringing with it four of the UK's finest punk rock and roll bands, and for most of the already sweating, baying throng inside, it's not a moment too soon. Openers Hexes demonstrate why they're picking up so many plaudits at the moment, as they ably warm up the crowd with their bleep infused rock and roll bluster. With former 'A' man (and current Radio 1 DJ) Daniel P Carter amongst their ranks, the stage show is lent masses of experience, which seems to have rubbed off on the others making Hexes ones to watch in 2008.
Most assembled are already familiar with Blackhole. Seventeen-year-old frontman Richard Carter is the brother of none other than Gallows firebrands Frank and Steph, and his temperament on stage certainly gives it away. His presence bellies his years, and with a catalogue already containing such fan favorites as the stomping 'Forever', their future is assured, even without a current record deal.
For a large portion of tonight, tonight's real headliners are local heroes The Plight. The band bound confidently onto the stage like a well-oiled behemoth after a year of almost constant touring, and their efforts have certainly paid off. The likes of 'Pull the Trigger' and 'Ball and Chain' now sit side by side; the wealth of quality material is absolutely absurd after only two mini albums. Every single song is a belter, and with a couple of new tracks thrown into the mix, their debut full-length release looks like continuing the trend.
The Ghost Of A Thousand would have to work hard to follow that up, and sadly don't quite manage it. That's not to say that their set doesn't pack a punch. Vocalist Tom is a commanding presence and the songs themselves are an absolute marvel. Debut album 'This Is Where The Fight Begins' has marked them out as one of the best punk rock bands this country has to offer, and their live show is second to (almost) none, but tonight, the locals have it.
