LIVE FROM THE PIT: Artio, High Regard and Big Cat Chic
- Lou Viner-Flood
- Mar 25
- 3 min read
ARTIO are a band like no other in the scene right now. Self produced, fiercely underrated and hailing from Leeds, the band headed out on tour fresh off the back of the release of their new album, Soul Rot. This record is an emotive ode to existing in a world not built for you, to creative burnout, and to the ever evolving journey of one's own identity. With the setting for the evening being the Deaf Institute in Manchester, a venue known for its intimate gigs and atmospheric, historic charm, ARTIO were able to get up close and personal with the fans who came in their droves to experience the show.
For the Soul Rot tour, ARTIO proclaimed ‘Long live the local band’, and stood by this sentiment throughout, by inviting a band from each city to open up the set. For Manchester, this was the queer/grunge/shoegaze outfit BIG CAT CHIC, a five-piece band formed in the city in 2023, who bring “a new kind of fierce and feisty for your playlists”. With vocalist Eliza Waite at the helm, bringing SIOUXSIE SIOUX vibes, with matching winged eyeliner, the crowd were blessed with a high-energy live performance, with tracks merging heavy riffs, serious grooves, and dark glam inspired power.
Alt rock trio HIGH REGARD, the main support for the Soul Rot tour, took to the stage soon after. Fronted by vocalist Georgia Casey, the Hertfordshire band bring the kind of energy you would usually expect from a headliner - relentless crowd engagement, big movements that almost outgrew the stage and a crowd full of fans who know every word even before the song starts. Set highlights included explosive opener Life Sentence, See Me, and Buried Alive, which is the newly released single from their Warning Signs EP. HIGH REGARD are a band who are clearly destined for bigger stages and bigger crowds, with closer Dead To Me bringing the set to a loud, chaotic conclusion.
ARTIO are a band who choose a story for their record and with it, birth a piece of lore for fans to play along with. Soul Rot is an album that personifies this artistic integrity perfectly and their set at the Deaf Institute delivered the biggest and best songs of their discography so far, with a sixteen song set list, opening with an alternate version of Soul Rotting, a transitional track from the album, which features the band and fans repeating the line ‘Please call me back my soul is rotting’.
Lead vocalist Rae Brazill, along with bassist Ieuan Jones and guitarists Rob Arkle and Jai Akhurst, are no stranger to connecting with their fans in a way that most bands struggle with; they take the needs and abilities of the crowd seriously, with Rae asking “for those who are able, I want to see you jump.”. It might have seemed like an insignificant gesture, but for those gathered in the crowd, it was an important shift from the norm. ARTIO are a band who consistently play accessible venues, where possible, and ensure their fans are safe, comfortable and at the very least, enjoying every moment they are watching the performance.
The set list was an expertly created journey through Soul Rot, with most of the tracks on the album making their way in the performance. The crowd were treated to The Devil You Know with guest vocals from CODY FROST, Soda, Full On Fight For Fun, with guest vocals from Jevan Langridge, the drummer for HIGH REGARD and the fan‑favourite and sometimes tearjerker, Room Tone. The band made sure to reach backwards in time to the tracks that made them who they are; letting Head in the Sand, Finger on the Trigger, Babyface, Product of My Own Design, and Pyrokid surface naturally, each one folding seamlessly into the flow of the night.
In keeping with the themes of Soul Rot, Rae also denounced the rise of AI‑generated art, reminding us that art comes from the soul and that is something AI could never replicate. The message was met with cheers and chants of ‘Fuck AI!’, cementing the fact that ARTIO are a band of authenticity and that their DIY ethos is still kicking.
Following a quick interval, the encore wrapped the show, Seven Suns shining as the closer. Both ARTIO and the crowd dug deep for one last burst, with voices soaring, adrenaline high, the connection between them holding strong through the final note. ARTIO remains a band intent on moving forward, carrying a self‑produced sound that cuts through the everchanging landscape of the music scene. Their fans clearly trust them to steer the ship and the mutual respect between stage and crowd is something genuinely rare.
Words: Lou Viner-Flood
Photos: Simon Flood
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