LIVE FROM THE PIT: The Hara and paradise fell.

When the trio THE HARA formed nine years ago, neither the band nor the fans expected the project to become one of the most influential bands of modern British rock. Yet here they are, touring not only around their home country, but swiftly taking over Europe as well. Formed by JOSH TAYLOR (vocals), ZACK BREEN (guitars) and JACK KENNEDY (drums), the Manchester-natives already have few albums under their belt, and the freshest of them all - The Fallout, was welcomed to the world with two release shows in London and Manchester. Supported on the night by London-based PARADISE FELL., the night was unique from the beginning.

The nu-rock trio PARADISE FELL. was welcomed on the stage immediately and managed to keep the enthusiasm from the start of their set until the end. Although the venue was not packed for their performance, it did not stop them from putting on a big show, or at least as big as they could have done, as their set was not that long. Vocalist MATTY BANKHURST kept the audience amazed with his vocals while the guitarist HARRY ACREMAN shredded his guitar with captivating riffs and the drummer PAUL WHITE nailed every beat.

Taking the audience through some of their songs like NADIYA., overdose. and SUFFOCATE., the band showed off masterfully their talent and works, and it was certain that the crowd loved their music. After their thirty-minute long set, the band received well-deserved applause and cheers, and went onto making a space for the star of the night.

Right when the lights went out for the second time of the night, it was obvious that what the venue was hosting was not just an ordinary concert. Dressed all in suits - that gradually disappeared as the night went on - TAYLOR, BREEN and KENNEDY took over the stage in an instant and the crowd went absolutely feral. The trio decided to start the night off with few fan-favourites, before diving into the new record, and it was a choice well made, as the fans sang all the songs word by word while being hypnotised by the energy emitted from the band. From an early moshpit to TAYLOR jumping into the crowd to surf, there were only a handful of things that could have surpassed the beginning of the performance.

But that moment striked once the trio started playing yet unreleased songs from The Fallout. From Psycho Killer, to Bury Me, to one of the most engaging songs live, Intergalactic Sabotage, the new record brought many surprising moments and it was obvious the fans absolutely loved every single second of it. Once it was time to bid farewell to THE HARA, the room transformed into a massive wall of death followed by a brutal moshpit, joined by TAYLOR, creating one of the most unforgettable moments of the night.

If there is anything THE HARA can do spectacularly, it is with no doubt their live shows. The album release night felt more personal than ever thanks to the band’s engagement with the crowd and throughout the night it was evident the trio was grateful for every single one of their fans who came to see them and support them. Paired up with the force to reckon with PARADISE FELL., the night could not be any better than it was.

Words: Katerina Stepanikova

Photos: Ace Cheng