LIVE FROM THE PIT: Downcast, CF98, Stay Safe, Nothing In Return, Lennox

As lightning lit up the sky over the iconic Digbeth area of Birmingham, five bands descended upon the Subside bar, intent on rivalling the roar of the thunder with their own might, led by UK based pop-punk four-piece DOWNCAST on their UK summer tour.

This free gig was a must-see endeavour for pop-punk enthusiasts, which is why it was a shame to see the floor of the dim, warmly lit pub somewhat quiet for the first act, alt artist LENNOX, who were certainly a promising sound to start the night. Full credit is owed, as one might walk past outside and imagine a room full of sweaty bodies rocking out with such energy radiating from the trio, clearly dead set on delivering 100% for those early goers. Paul Lennox’s vocals were delivered without nerve, having a naturally enticing voice for rock that he demonstrated clear capability to control, while Adam on bass and Nathan on drums performed with their own technical abilities evident. With a strong stage presence and equally solid sound, this felt like the ideal opener for a powerhouse like DOWNCAST.

West Midlands based alt-rock band NOTHING IN RETURN were next in line, another up and coming group keen on making themselves known in the scene, wasting no time getting into gear and letting loose. Their set was not without tribulation however, as their guitarist was temporarily out of action due to a technical issue, but luckily, he was in good hands, as the rest of the band held their nerve and nailed the song despite the setback. With a sound drawing inspiration from many contemporary indie rock artists, their set offered a less intense, but still catchy pace to an otherwise rather full-on selection of artists. Finding themselves caught short of time, the band tore into their final track, which was arguably the grandest, most infectious piece of work they had in their arsenal, including a sweet guitar solo, which worked well to make an impact before concluding their appearance.

The remaining openers accompanied DOWNCAST throughout their tour, truly elevating the evening as by now the ever-dimmer bar had started to collect fans and intrigued patrons alike. The first of said openers was STAY SAFE, a Manchester based four-piece that immediately burst into action with frightening enthusiasm, demanding complete attention from the crowd. The word to sum up this set would be ‘relentless’, with the energy and presence that could be reserved for much bigger crowds, but these lads clearly aren’t fussed, they just want to be on a stage together kicking ass, and that’s exactly what they did. The most notable aspect of their set other than their immense power was their chemistry, both as a band and with the crowd, smiling throughout their entire set, interacting with one another, and guitarist Chris planting himself amongst the crowd on multiple occasions. The brother of bassist Jack even had a moment to shine, trading spots with Chris for a song. This truly felt like a headline performance, brilliant pop punk set from all members (and Jack’s brother).

Somehow after that there was still one more act before the actual headline, a band that made the impressive journey all the way from Poland to be a part of this tour, this being CF98, a pop-punk band raised by the likes of GREEN DAY and PARAMORE, who spend a lot of time wreaking havoc across Europe. Vocalist Karolina was highly animated, bringing an infectiously joyful energy to their aggressive sound that the audience easily latched onto. If you’ve ever been in a small crowd in a charming pub and thought “this place could really use a wall of death right now”, Karolina has got you covered. A tight, unfaltering performance of blazing drum work, riffing guitars and powerful vocals, including a few covers from the likes of BLINK 182, much to the delight of those attending.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdXWnQ47bK0

Finally, after hours of commendable dedication to giving the best performance possible, we are left only with DOWNCAST, and with lightning continuing to flash over the Birmingham skyline, it only made sense for the opening song to be raincheck, the opening track from their 2024 EP ‘WTF HAPPENED???’. As guitars swung, cymbals crashed and screams tore through the air, the band established that they meant business, and all around the dancefloor heads were rolling, with it being almost impossible not to rock along. Maintaining such power, especially for vocalist Liam, must be a brutal task, but he nor any other member showed this during their set, which extinguished any feeling of fatigue beforehand as an audience member.

Deep into the set bassist Jeff lifted himself upon a speaker, motioning towards the crowd to lend a few hands, and despite being a handful of people, they enthusiastically carried him around while he played, which was quite the spectacle for onlookers. The set ultimately closed with catharsis, the band’s 2020 track that grew to become their most beloved, an undeniable banger that easily blows the roof off any venue, and an epic climax to a thrilling evening.

Words & Photos: Paul Cutts