LIVE FROM THE PIT: Yonaka, Snayx and Knife Bride
Cardiff is already restless before YONAKA even take the stage. Three bands, one room, and an evening that moves steadily from dark alternative rock to outright punk aggression before landing somewhere in between. KNIFE BRIDE start the night. SNAYX turn up the intensity. YONAKA finish it.
KNIFE BRIDE open with Lillies, immediately establishing their darker edge. Their sound is cinematic without becoming overworked, with heavy guitars and deliberate drums giving the songs plenty of weight. Crucify and Melancholia continue in the same vein, building a set that feels considered rather than rushed.
There is a theatrical quality to the performance, particularly through Fang Dummy and Poisoned by God, where the band's heavier side comes through more strongly. They are not trying to overwhelm the crowd from the first song. Instead, the performance gradually draws attention towards the stage. Alone at the Altar and Worthy bring their set to a close, leaving KNIFE BRIDE as a strong first act and a clear contrast to what follows.
Then SNAYX arrive and everything speeds up. Deranged hits hard from the start. The Brighton duo are direct and unapologetic, stripping things back to sharp guitars, driving rhythms and vocals delivered with plenty of aggression. Work and H.A.N.G keep the pace high, with the performance becoming increasingly physical as the set progresses. Boys In Blue brings another surge of energy, while Sink Or Swim keeps the momentum going before FAYX closes their set. There is very little wasted time between songs, and that works in their favour. SNAYX do not need elaborate production or lengthy introductions. The songs do the work.
By the time YONAKA arrive, the crowd has already been put through two very different sets. Eat You Alive opens the headline performance before Problems and PREDATOR follow in quick succession. There is no drawn-out introduction. YONAKA get straight into it, with Theresa Jarvis immediately taking control of the stage. Punch Bag and Cruel keep the pace moving. The guitars sound heavy without overpowering the vocals, while Jarvis moves comfortably between more controlled sections and full-throated delivery. Then comes Miss Millennial, one of the stronger moments of the night. The chorus comes back from the crowd at full volume, followed by Call Me a Saint and Hit Me When I'm Sore.
At the Beach provides a welcome change of pace. YONAKA spend much of the set operating at a high level of intensity, and this gives both the band and the audience a moment to breathe. It also makes the songs that follow hit harder. Trouble Follows, Stay a Little While Longer, Ordinary, Do It For You and Clique take the set through its middle section. The mix of heavier tracks and more melodic material shows how much YONAKA's sound has developed, although there are points where the consistency of the energy makes some songs less distinctive than others.
Jarvis remains the focal point throughout. Her vocals cut through the guitars, and the interaction with the crowd becomes more noticeable as the set progresses. There is no need for excessive theatrics. The performance is carried by the songs and her presence on stage. Bite The Bullet begins the final run before the final notes of Seize the Power land hard, bringing the night to an appropriately direct close. After three sets that have moved from KNIFE BRIDE's darkness, through SNAYX's aggression, to YONAKA's blend of weight and melody, the room has travelled a fair distance.
No unnecessary spectacle. No drawn-out goodbye. Just three bands pushing the same room in three different directions, before YONAKA leave it with the final word.
Words and Photos: Mia Gailey
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