H.E.A.T. Islington Academy 10-12-14

First up was 5 piece Love Zombies who I am reliably informed were similar to the pop punk of  Paramore. Ok in a school prom band performance.

Next up was the Sherlock Brothers a 5 piece from Sweden and my 12 year old son Matthew who had come along for his first sighting of H.E.A.T. saw them and said to me this is more like it!
Playing a very heavy blues groove with Andre Andersson leading the way on vocals they went down  very well with the ever growing crowd.
Last cd Monkey Made Nation is one to look out for.

I have been lucky enough to see the 10 legged Swedish wrecking machine H.E.A.T. 3 times in the last 6 months and every time they have kicked my ass.
Each time their confidence seems ever higher if possible and they put on a show that few in the live setting can match.
With their quite wonderful fourth cd Tearing  Down The Walls hitting the shelves back in April everybody present knows every word and as the venues get bigger the reaction from the crowd becomes ever more manic.

For 85 minutes we were treated to 10 songs from the new cd along with 6 from the previous Address The Nation cd along with only 2 cuts from the early duo of cd's led by Kenny Leckremo.

Here is what they played.

Point Of Know Return
Shot At Redemption
Better Off Alone
Heartbreaker
It's All About Tonight
Inferno
Tearing Down The Walls
Mannequin Show
Late Night Lady
Beg Beg Beg with a snippet of Highway Star
All The Nights
Downtown
Enemy in Me
Emergency

Encores of Breaking The Silence
Living On The Run
Laughing At Tomorrow

In my previous 2 live reviews from this years dates I have banged on about how H.E.A.T. are one of the finest live bands on the planet with one of the finest frontmen we have ever seen.

Nothing changes Erik Gronwall is the Duracell bunny on overdrive.He never stops moving or interacting with the crowd and also possesses a quite wonderful voice.It amazes me he can still hit all of the notes whilst dripping with sweat as he literally puts everything into his performance and he spends plenty of time in the audience giving his roadie a real struggle keeping his microphone cable available.

Eric Rivers on guitar has completely come out of his shell on this tour after the loss of other guitarist Dave Dalone. He again is always on the move throwing shapes and riffing hard and his solos all have a melodic tone that just first the music superbly.

Jona Tee on keys,Crash on drums and Jimmy Jay on bass all play their part in the groove and all produce superb backing vocals.

We get 10 off the Tearing Down The Walls cd and all hit the mark and more. 
From the hard hitting openers of Point Of Know Return and the monumental first single Shot At Redemption all big riffs , choruses to die for and from the off the crowd scream every word and punch the air in unison.
Inferno shows a harder edge but still oozing melody and another chorus to scream along too.
The title track sees Erik don an acoustic guitar and takes the level down a notch with a song that deserves to be on car stereos worldwide as does the huge chorus and keyboard riff led Mannequin Show.
All The Nights has Erik in the spotlight with only backing from Jona and shows the quality and range of his vocal.The guy can sing.

Enemy In Me and Emergency finish the main set off in fine style all hard edged riffs and huge choruses and some tasty Eric guitar work.

The encores take us back to the marvellous Address The Nation cd with both Breaking The Silence and Living On The Run showing that cd's quality. The crowd if anything go up a notch and show that the bands catalogue is as good as any band in the melodic rock genre in the last 20 years.

Finishing with Laughing At Tomorrow has Erik again on acoustic and ends with a crowd singalong of epic proportions.

February the 23rd sees H.E.A.T. release their first live release " Live In London " on cd I have heard it and it is the next  step to greatness.
Review to follow in the New Year.

The venues are getting bigger and I wonder if any major act playing arenas needing a support act have the balls to take them on board in the worry of being blown away.


H.E.A.T. are on of the finest live acts I have ever seen in 30 years of attending gigs and over 350 gigs in total. The band and crowd are one and with the announcement of them playing the Download Festival next year this is what is needed to take them to the next level.

They really are that good.
 

 

 

#heatsweden