The hardest working band in Rock has returned to the UK for the 2^nd time in a year. FRANK CARTER & THE RATTLESNAKES are an unstoppable force who don't need a reason to do 2 headline tours in one year, they do it for the energy and passion. The tour comes to a sold out O2 Ritz in Manchester this evening with support from Emo/Rock group BASEMENT and ECCA VANDAL - a strange line up but one that has got the venue fully packed out.

First on stage is ECCA VANDAL who is an Australian cross-over between R&B and Pop with a massive dose of Punk influence. The Australian quirky vocalist is a must see live for her energetic performances.

 

She may seem tame on a CD but live on stage she is a force to be reckoned with, especially with her backing band who really give the edge to the set list.  Fans arriving for a night of hard hitting Rock may be confused by her at first but by the end of her set you can see the crowd falling for her charms and edge.

 

From the amount of BASEMENT merchandise in the crowd you can tell a large amount have come to see the Pop Punk favourites. Playing a phenomenal set of fan-favourite tracks such as "Covet", "Pine", "Aquasun" and "Cricket's Throw Their Voice", their raw energy has the crowds going wild and screaming along to every word.

 

For many this is the first time in many years to see the band since their last break up, yet they have returned with more power and emotion than they had before. Be sure to see BASEMENT filling up venues across the country again with a dedicated fan base following them.

 

The Ritz is packed and the band we've all been waiting to see hits the stage, entering on with "Primary Explosive" and "Rotten Blossom" is a sure way of getting the crowd riled up and extremely loud.

 

Tonight the band are playing every song they've ever recorded, from "Blossom", "Modern Ruin" to the newest single "Spray Paint Love", all much to the delight of many fans who thought that only the London show was getting the extra special set list.

 

Vocalist Frank Carter prances around the stage with more anger, bravado and  enthusiasm than ever; it seems with every tour he pushes himself to go even further. Guitarist Dean Richardson is the same, spinning all over the stage with a guitar without missing a note.

 

Tracks such as "Wild Flowers", "Fangs" (which is so good they played it twice), "Devil Inside Me" and "I Hate You" have the crowd screaming the lyrics to their hearts content while having crowd surfers ride over them.

 

With one of the biggest tours they've ever done, FRANK CARTER & THE RATTLESNAKES still haven't lost the sense of intimacy from the small shows that they were doing just 2 years ago, maintaining it even in a much larger venue.

 

Manchester certainly felt the love tonight - the north really is a home for FRANK CARTER & THE RATTLESNAKES.
The band are a must listen and see for those who are curious and those who just love good music.