Shred Yr Face 2 @ The Garage, 27 Feb

There's something special about hardcore; while the music might not be for everyone, the energy, the spirit and the message certainly should be. Enter: Shred Yr Face 2. One could cut Sheffielders Rolo Tomassi (****) a little slack, considering their singer has fallen ill. "Could" is the optimal term, as none need be cut tonight. Eva Spence comes in yielding her A-game, as does the remainder of the quintet, not-so-quietly marrying the best aspects of stalwarts such as The Locust and Dillinger Escape Plan.

Fucked Up (*****) require no introduction, and none in the crowd should forget these crushing Torontians. While the band's live success relies on the antics of bellower Pink Eyes, his mates know enough to let him take the reins while they issue riff after punishing riff from The Chemistry of Common Life. With his off-stage travels taking him from balcony to bathroom, Pink Eyes' enthusiasm breaks the barrier not only between stage and crowd, but also live music and performance.

Headliners The Bronx (***) take punk from a more traditional, LA-hardcore angle, and maintain the energy of the show, if not its experimentalism. Engaging with concert-goers as well, Matt Caughthran's consistent scream holds sway over the sweaty and tightly packed mass as the Californians plough through their arsenal of anthems. Sure, their over arching message of non-conformity might seem a little tired by the show's end, but El Bronx are a suitable capstone to a fervorous night.

 

See more shots from the night here