LIVE FROM THE PIT: Vianova and Shields
- Julia Brunton
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
Newcastle gave VIANOVA a show they will never forget in the graffiti-covered attic of Zerox, packing into the venue for a sold out evening with support from SHIELDS. The show itself was short and sweet, with only the two on the lineup, but the energy from the two made for a perfect Thursday evening that wound down in time for the last metro home.
The lights went down and metalcore outfit SHIELDS opened their set with Kill and Red & Green, where frontman Joe Edwards was not too talkative in the beginning, bar the standard “Hello Newcastle”. Edwards seemed to settle into the evening by the time they played Lacerate; first he coaxed the crowd to move by musing that the crowd had been mental, though later he remarked that he used to live there and was happy to be back. By the halfway point Zerox had found its energy and the pit opened up for yet another song, be it a bit of a stop and start situation at the beginning due to the clean vocals, but the rest of the room was still happy to put their hands in the air and keep them there, and by the end of the set there was a side by side as a finale.
On stage, SHIELDS performed like they never left, with the tempo changing drums that made their latest album stand out being just as satisfying live. The performances from each member were passionate, with Edwards in particular gripping the mic to belt like a soul singer or standing with arms stretched out to invite the deep feelings that the Death & Connection track brought up. SHIELDS made a solid return to live shows and Zerox were very happy to have them.
As the clock ticked half an hour, a glance out the side door of Zerox would show you VIANOVA, all donned in different versions of white shirts and white linen trousers, from drummer Paul Vogelgesang in a white vest, to frontman Alexander Kerski’s full three-piece accented by a white ushanka and sunglasses. The quartet took a couple minutes to pose for pictures through said doorway for the fans that could see them, before strutting towards the stage to M PEOPLE’s Moving On Up. As the track faded, Kerski started a clap for opening track Squier Talk, and the floor did not need much convincing before the whole room started bouncing.
Vianova had the whole of Zerox electrified, with the rows before the circle pit bouncing with the band and the rows behind dancing in groups and couples. The pit itself took up half the room and was empty only for the one slow paced song on the setlist - Future Nostalgia, and despite the tight fit and low ceilings, a couple of patrons managed to crowdsurf their way to the stage. As for the crowd control, Kerski was joyous and happy to crack a joke, be it admitting that Oh No was hard to sing or laughing off that no one in the sold out room remembered the band’s square guitar phase. The frontman expressed enjoyment for their first time in the north of England and Zerox enjoyed them right back, shown by the chorus of voices singing the words back to VIANOVA, even for the new album Hit It!.
This enjoyment really came to the fore as the show was due to come to a close: VIANOVA did the classic “give us an encore” move by shuffling to the side stage due to the lack of backstage in Zerox, coming back on by joking that Newcastle was going to pretend that they could not see them. The real closer was Wheel of Fortune, a funky rock track that had Zerox jumping, moshing and singing after a clap that never quite timed itself right.
Vianova wished Newcastle "Thank you and goodbye.”, as the mirrors on the side wall of the venue misted bottom to top, but the hoots and hollers turned again to “One more song!” to which Kerski bargained that they wanted to be able to come back and they had to confirm with the venue; the sound tech’s thumb came up from the back of the room and the elated-thought bewildered Kerski asked, if Zerox would settle for a song they already played. Happy with this, the vocalist introduced with If you’re happy and you know it, launching into the second run of Más Rápido to the highest energy of the night. The pit opened wide, as the whole room bounced, and the lead crowdsurfed over the final chorus, but as the song ended and the chants started once again, Kerski simply said “Get the fuck out!” to end the evening.
VIANOVA’s Newcastle leg was a sea of sweat and happiness nestled on the cold and rainy riverfront, with a crowd bursting with personality and artists able to bask in doing what they love. Zerox is a hidden gem of a venue with its underpass feel and intimate energy; it was easy to think this was the show VIANOVA will have compared all the others to as they closed out their UK tour on Saturday.
Words: Julia Brunton
Photos: Aylise Delano-Brown
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