The Verse’s Luca Van Dresh reviews Slaves’ show at Bexhill’s De La Warr Pavilion on the 10th November
A battle of energy took place on Thursday night in Bexhill-on-Sea between punk act Slaves and their passionate fans.
Who would tire out first? Slaves are well known for their intense performing style and it was remarkable how they could keep this up throughout the night. However, the crowd responded with just as much energy, creating a frenzied atmosphere. The tone was set when the highly charged song Hey made a very early appearance, sending the crowd wild. It was obvious that the crowd idolised the band and during the small gaps between songs the crowd could be heard singing happy birthday to lead singer Isaac Holman. The fact that it was his birthday, unannounced by the band, was just something the devoted fans knew.
Another telling sign of devotion was just how many people were wearing band merchandise, you often see a few people at gigs wearing band t-shirts but at this gig it was a clear majority. It felt more like a fan convention, where people cosplay, rather than a regular gig.12 of the 21 songs performed came from their second album, which was released just over a month ago and the fans sang along emphatically to every word. However the highlight of the night was the bands performance of Where’s Your Car, Debbie? which was a non-album single. It’s not a highly intelligent song as it mainly consists of repeating the lyrics “Where’s your car Debbie, Debbie where’s your car” but it was pure entertainment and the crowd loved it.
The show brought to mind a few lines from their song, The Hunter, on which they sing “Oh it is reckless and pointless but it’s also very fun” – thus summing up the overall vibe of the night. The gig ended on the song Spit It Out from their second album Take Control, proving already a fan favourite.
Slaves are a must-see act if you like your music fast, loud and somewhat aggressive. Some say that punk is dead, however based on this concert, I’d say the scene is still very much alive.
