Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle
Saturday November 8, 2014 :
A huge two headed attack tonight opens with the vice tight King Of The North, who destroy the room with their huge two piece sound of head shaking riffs propelled by freight train drumming. These guys are seriously smoking hot on stage. Songs like ‘Surrender’ come off as a huge anthem in their hands, the dual vocal harmonies and V8 ’70s guitar licks are irresistible.
The Mark of Cain have consistently been one of the best live bands I have ever had the privilege of seeing more than a handful of times, and tonight is no different. Their pummelling classics are delivered with the added youthful vigour of drummer Eli Green, their low end riffs dealt by a Rickenbaker guitar and bass combo from John and Kim Scott still the twin totems either side of the stage. For the first time in my living memory there is a moment when Kim breaks his poker face for a laugh between songs with Eli, but he’s quickly back to that iconic stance with his bass wound tight around his waist.
‘Interloper’ explodes out of the gates, ‘Familiar Territory’ reduces the venue to rubble with its jackhammer intro and ‘LMA’ throws sheets of emotional guitar crescendos against its gently fingered opening and closing bars. The set list is a wet dream of the band’s last three albums and takes a meaty chunk from the recent cracker, Songs of the Third and the Fifth. John Scott still roars like a man scorned, his particular brand of existential angst still one of the most resonant ever for his mostly male fans, and King of the North are playing a free gig the next day (that was also brilliant). Life is good.
Reviewer: Roger Killjoy
Photographer: Kevin Bull
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