Photo: Shirlaine Forrest
Joining The Whip on their headline UK tour is South Central, in my opinion one of the finest nu-electro bands to step out of Brighton in recent years. As they pound through their set tonight it becomes more and more transparent as to why their loyal fan base is currently exploding in numbers. Taking to the stage amidst smoke and lights, they coax dancers down the front with a stomper of a number which slips into ‘Golden Dawn’, bringing the crowd that bit closer to the stage. Masters of the build up and break down, South Central just keep banging out tune after tune, with ‘Nothing Can Go Wrong’ and ‘Higher State’ in particular whipping the crowd into a hyperactive frenzy – all of which The Whip grab hold of and push to the next level.
From the moment they play their first note to the last, there’s not a single person in the venue not dancing like a madman to The Whip (scenes that are echoed tomorrow on Gigwise’s stage at The Great Escape). Pulling out all the stops with 80s style synths, heavy bass lines and epic climaxes the Manchester outfit receive riotous screams and shouts as each song throws itself in to the next one. ‘Blackout’ is a standout moment, but it’s set closer ‘Trash’ which steals the limelight. It sees 93 Feet East transform into a mesh of intermingling bodies; the sweating mass surges back and forth to the beat and sings along throwing every single word back to the band as they revel in their own fantastic sound. To say The Whip are phenomenal is an understatement, as the sheer energy and rush of tonight proved.
