For my second gig of 2025 I was back at the Fulford Arms in York. This time with my good mate Baz. This was a charity gig with proceeds going to the York Food Bank and like everyone there I was more than happy to contribute. York’s purveyors of gargantuan metal sounds, Theseus, kicked off proceedings. This was the fourth time I have seen them. They made it to the final of last years Battle of the Bands contest at this very venue. I suspect that had the Vikings remained in York hundreds of years ago then this is the kind of music they would have produced. I don’t know if they are descendants of Vikings, but Theseus came, they saw and they fucking conquered! Their energy levels were off the scale. The set was full on, albeit short. But it was classy metal banger after classy metal banger. Highlights for me were “Allergy” and Consume”. What a barnstorming set! The headbanging and moshing was magnificent. I think I had a high degree of hair envy.
Next up it was Manchester pop punk rapscallions Stay Safe. They readily admitted that they were a little scared to be following Theseus on stage. I think I would feel the same! However Stay Safe do have a tiny injection of metal in some of their songs. They have some great tunes, particularly “Crash And Burn” and “Bombshell”. The crowd loved them. Their cover of Avril Lavigne’s “Complicated” was ace. My only criticism is that it sounded like the drums were a little too loud and occasionally drowned out the rest of the band.
Finally York pop punksters On The Ropes arrived on stage. They have been around a while, they formed in 2012. They broke up in 2019 and after a hiatus they reformed in 2023. The between song banter was supremely good dry, laconic Yorkshire wit. They have some great songs in their canon. There is even one about going on holiday in Wales, which was rather spiffing! But the highlight for me was “The Machinist”. Johnny and the boys were on fire and the crowd loved them. They are not copyists of old school pop punk they take the sound to new levels. Overall this was a great night and on reflection I reckon Theseus just about took the points. But more importantly money was raised for a great cause, the York Food Bank! If you have any spare money and can afford to donate even a little bit click here.
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