LIVE FROM THE PIT: Grey Daze and Pavé
- Laura Davies
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
Despite forming thirty-three years ago, this is only the second time Phoenix based GREY DAZE have graced the UK soil. Initially founded by the late Chester Bennington, they made headlines and solidified their place in rock history with some iconic songs. After pausing making music in 1998, the band reformed with original drummer Sean Dowdell and with a new front-man, but the same killer sound that fans know and love.
After touring for a while with their back catalogue, reissuing songs and mastering songs with Bennington’s vocals layered atop of new music, the band announced a new single Fake Little Lies. This would be the band's first song with new singer Cris Hodges. Paying homage to the original vocalist whilst also giving this band a new lease of life to a new audience.
Opening the night are Manchester rising stars PAVÉ. Opening with The End Of Us, vocalist Alayna-Jade’s pitch, energy, and range showcased that this band is another hit in the roster of female fronted bands taking over the scene at the moment. Throughout their set they played a blend of new songs and more established numbers showing that they know how to create hit songs. From slow song If It Hurts where the crowd's phones lit up the room, to headbanger Whatever The Cost where Alayna-Jade demanded the room to move, the openers played with the confidence of a band that has been around for decades, refining and honing their craft to a fine art that is just stage brilliance.
From the moment GREY DAZE stepped onto the stage, the audience could sense that it would be a special night. Not only was this the band's first time in Southampton, but they were going to make sure the audience never forgot every moment of their show. Opening with More Than I Can Offer the band reminded the audience that the music that was made thirty years ago is timeless and packed with energy.
Throughout the night the band flipped between newer songs such as Fake Little Lies and Saturation to older classics such as Wake Me and Just Like Heroin. This allowed the audience to truly appreciate the seamless transition from old to new and solidified their sound decades later. The whole band seemed to feed off the energy from the crowd and you could tell that they enjoyed every moment just as much as the audience did.
Despite having huge shoes to fill, Cris Hodges took to the front-man spot with enough charisma and talent that any band could wish for.. Cris spent the evening not only tearing up the stage but also interacting with the audience. From standing at the barrier, allowing fans to scream the words with him, to shouting out those that sung with him. He was constantly building that connection between the audience and the band to create something truly magical.
Within the show there was a poignant tribute to Chester by Hodges. Telling the audience “Yes we are writing new music. Yes we are moving into Grey Daze 2.0. But we will never forget the legacy of Chester Bennington”. It allowed the audience to appreciate the legacy that Bennington has left not only to the band, but the wider music community. Audience members lifted glasses, raised torches, and lit lighters while the band played Soul Song and Sickness, proving to the world that the spirit of Bennington lives on through his music.
Ending the show with Shadows and B12 was nothing short of a perfect ending. With the band playing on stage and Hodges weaving his way through the audience to interact with as many fans as possible, it truly felt like the night should never end. Like it needed to be captured and kept as a memory, never to fade away. It may have taken GREY DAZE over thirty years to come to the UK shores, but it was certainly worth the wait.
Words and photos: Laura Davies
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