The sun is out, not a cloud in the sky, and it’s probably the warmest day of the year so far, but there is no place I would rather have been on Saturday than a deep dark basement on Sauchiehall Street for the first Ripcord Fest. And why would you want to be anywhere else? Nice N Sleazy was the only place that had nine of the best bands the UK post-metal scene has to offer.
Doors at 2pm and from the looks of things the majority of the crowd was down nice and early. It was good to see a full crowd for things kicking off with our “post-hardcore wake-up call” as first band up Wolves described it. The one band that on the face of it didn’t fit the post-metal mould of the others, they certainly didn’t care and nor did the crowd who were out in force.
The bassist was in amongst it with us in the crowd, stalking the front with his microphone planted right in the middle. While there were some small microphone related technical difficulties, it didn’t set them back and was quickly fixed. They blasted through their 30-minute set in ferocious and high energy form, “Reformed (Try Love)” being a real highlight of the set.
Up next was Solars, who set the high bar for me for the rest of the day. I think I annoyed my friends with the number of times I leaned over to say “how fucking good is this?!”. They levelled the place with their gorgeous and textured tones which sounded amazing up close and personal. Music so beautiful yet so ferocious, it’s not easy to do but they make it look so.
A shout out to the sound engineer for the day as well, because every band sounded brilliant; no intricacy or nuance lost from the quiet parts and no muddied drowned sound from the heavy parts – everything was as it should be and that can’t be easy. The first five bands of the day each felt like they brought something unique despite broadly being of the same genre, each of them making the absolute most of their 30 minute set.
I don’t think Civil Service could have packed any more in than they did. It feels like they took a massive festival set designed for 2000 people and translated it for an intimate crowd of 200. Their presentation with the projector and use of samples was great, and their set was bursting with tension and emotion – the guitarist and bassist going (literally) head-to-head at one point. It was all building to the set closer which was one big let off for everyone, and the inclusion of an Idlewild sample was a great touch.
If you like what we do, consider joining us on Patreon for as little as £1 per month!
Looking at my notes that I took, the entirety of what I had typed into my notes app for Helve was “heavy, heavy, heavy”. Another highlight for me, the guys absolutely blew the place away with their big monolithic slabs of riff. Starting off with a portion of the 20 minute epic “Teeth”, they showed that they weren’t messing about; they managed to pack a lot into the 30 minutes they had. Bringing out Andy from Wolves/The Grey for “Guns Heal The Sick” was amazing, kicking the song into a different gear.
Million Moons was a nice way to bring the first half of the day to a close. Before their set, I didn’t expect them to be as lively as they were, given their music is often intricate soundscapes. Playing that while not letting the energy slip for a second was impressive. Their music translates so well live, and if there was anyone who wasn’t familiar before their set, I imagine they were a fan by the time they were done. The mid-set new song surprise, a song which was “about birds”, was a highlight.
After that, there was a nice wee hour break – time to refuel, get a sit-down (which was welcome, I’m not 21 any more), and a pint or two before coming back for the rest of the fun. Local Glasgow lads Beneath A Steel Sky were one of the bands I had earmarked as must not miss, and I think they more than proved why. By this point the room was at max capacity, and everyone was hanging on the bands every note. They sounded absolutely massive; bringing songs from Cleave to life was something to behold. 30 minutes isn’t enough for these guys. They’re future headline material for not just a Ripcord Fest (of which I hope there are many) but any festival they want.
Indifferent Engine had a job to do following that, but of course they managed it and then some. I think if I had to pick only one set from the night as my favourite, it would be this one. The singer left absolutely everything out there on stage; it was sheer emotional intensity throughout. I don’t know how you go out there and put on a show like that, there’s so much palpable feeling to their show. If you’ve never seen them live I’d make a point of doing it.
Penultimate band of the night Codespeaker, bathed in red light, set about seeing if they could bulldoze the place before the night was over. It was a relentless, pulverizing set that also brought with it the most movement I’d seen from the crowd all day, which is saying something about a post-metal crowd who had been at it all day by that point. While they’re a band that can make any stage their own, they’re certainly one that thrives in a venue like Sleazy’s. The sheer noise was right in your face, enveloping you in sound. There’s nothing better.
Don’t fancy Patreon? Buy us a one-off beverage!
Then we come to the end of the night, the mighty Hundred Year Old Man. What can be said about the band and the set they played? I will probably only do it a disservice trying to put it into words but let’s do it anyway. Having watched the eight bands that came before them, they knew the standard and came out showing why they were headliners. From the first to last note across the hour they had, they brought pure visceral intensity which is to be expected, but there was a real connection in what they were doing.
The crowd could feel everything – the weight and emotion of the songs really connected and everyone was so into it. Another guest appearance, as Greg from BaSS / Codespeaker assisted with one of the songs. By the end of their set, there wasn’t anything left to give; they had wrung every last bit of everything the crowd had and sent everyone on their way happy and full of post-metal love.
I don’t think it can be overstated what Charlene and the folks at Ripcord managed to pull off with the festival. Every band, top to bottom, put on a show that won’t be forgotten. They’ll go away with new fans, or fans with renewed love for them. There was a real sense of community around the whole thing as well. I spoke to so many people, everyone was having a great time and brought together by the music – people from all over, including a guy from Australia who was in Glasgow after hearing about the festival. That’s commitment, and that’s what Ripcord have built with this.
With Ripcord 2 being announced, and a line-up that’s as strong as what we had for the first edition, it will no doubt sell out well in advance again. If you missed out this time, don’t mess about; get a ticket now. Hopefully there’s many more editions of Ripcord Fest to come.
Photos by Alan Swan Photography
