LIVE FROM THE PIT: Coldrain, Revnoir and Noisemaker

“Let’s keep this love here, let's keep this connection between us, none of this AI bullshit.” urges Masato Hayakawa of coldrain as the crowd is wrapped around his finger, hanging off every word. Back for their first headline shows in six years, the five piece Coldrain from Nagoya made their great return with a short UK and EU tour to accompany their latest EP which was released lastmonth. Tonight, in Manchester’s Rebellion we have a sold-out show, the band’s biggest headline show in the UK so far.

First up on the bill was NOISEMAKER from Sapporo, longtime friends of coldrain. Despite

forming in 2009 this surprisingly was their first time playing shows in the UK, making it a lifelong dream trip for them to be on this tour. Being an opener can be hard at any capacity, but NOISEMAKER had no issue with this. Despite it being only 6:30pm the whole crowd was

jumping along, the band’s energy so infectious that everyone was up for joining in on the fun. It could have easily been mistaken for a headliner performance. A mix of the known J-rock genre combined with some rap elements makes up their identity, with ‘Name’, their most popular song, lighting up the room effortlessly.

There was a slight shift in the atmosphere as all black donned four piece REVNOIR confidently took to the stage. Lead vocalist Maxime Rodriguez-Medallo graced the stage looking a lot like the late George Michael, kitted out in strong framed tinted glasses and a floaty frilled blouse. Their sound was very melodic with ghostly effects echoing from their Deftones-esque choruses, with tracks such as ‘Revenge’ and ‘Bang Bang’. Whilst there were a handful of dedicated fans in the middle of the pit, it felt a little forced to have two calls for a wall of death in such a small set. Another anomaly was when the band left the stage in an attempt to do an encore situation where the entire band left the stage to return a while later with a Stanley cup in hand, ready for their final song.

By the time it was Coldrain’s turn, you could feel the excitement brewing. This is a band that

newer fans have been wanting to see for a long time, confirmed when asked “who is seeing us for the first time?” and the majority of the room raised their hands. They have had more global opportunities after signing with Century Media Records earlier this year, and so far have played a few European festivals, but this is only the beginning.

Opening with FREE FALL from the new EP Optimize, the quintet gently eased the crowd into

what would be a seventeen-track long setlist that covered the new, old and everything in

between. Sweaty, unprompted chaos filled the evening as every anthem was blared from both the crowd and the stage. Singing along was fully encouraged, and the masses happily obliged. Each member had their spotlight moment with cheers for the various solo parts they had over the course of the set. A highlight for fans of their older work, The Revelation was played from the 2013 album of the same name; the heavier breakdowns caused scenes as the venue head banged in unison.

Many of the band’s openings from popular anime shows were played; the track MAYDAY went down a treat with Hayakawa fondly commenting that a lot of people might have found the band through the song. In a brief moment of quietness, we heard the cover of Alanis Morisette’s ‘Uninvited’ which soon crescendoed and charged into the next energetic track. Anime tattoos aloft, their final song of the night, ‘Vengeance’ had wall-to-wall interaction as you’d never seen. A true euphoric moment that made a great night for all involved.

Overall, the new EP Optimize was scattered throughout the night. It complemented their other discography, earning the name of the tour suitably. The mutual love and respect between the performer and the audience were evident throughout, and their magnetism on stage was unparalleled. It is clear that they love what they do, even after 18 years, and the crowd responded well to that.

It’s safe to say that the scene in the UK has a hunger for Japanese music, especially if the huge crowds for the likes of bands like SiM and Survive Said The Prophet at Download this year are anything to go by. Let’s hope they keep their promise to keep coming back for us to welcome them with the reception they deserve.

Words: Danielle Henderson

Photos: Cate Neves