Attila are hated. Not just in the UK, but across the globe. Their straight/shit-talking attitude winds people up, but their success riles more than anything. Attila haters see Chris Fronzak on the cover of magazines, and see his slogans emblazoned on plenty of t-shirts and snapbacks. What they don’t see is that their hate subject has packed out the Camden Electric Ballroom tonight, on their first ever headline UK run, and there’s no shortage of love in the air.
In their own rights, both support acts put on a decent show. Fathom‘s blend of hardcore is just the ticket to warm up the gradually-expanding crowd, while Silent Screams notch the evening up another gear with their brutally heavy batch of melodic metalcore. They are both relatively tame in comparison to tonight’s headliners, though, but that is to be expected.
As Attila confidently grace the stage, it’s immediately clear that they are in a league of their own. When blitzing through ‘Proving Grounds‘ and ploughing into ‘Hellraiser‘, the arrogance-ridden overtones of the lyrics are suitably justified by their intensity and desire to cause carnage. The Atlanta tearaways call on some older numbers – ‘Rage‘ and ‘Sex, Drugs & Violence‘ – early on, and it confirms that they are no passing phase. There is a loyal following here tonight, and they are erupting pits and launching bras stage-bound left, right, and centre.
Most acts usually display a genuine sense of sobriety when performing to a crowd of this size, but Attila know they deserve to be here, so show none whatsoever. Fronz’s self-assurance opens doors, and the crowd are like putty in his hands. The simple act of lighting up a spliff raises the roof, and kicking off ‘Shots for the Boys‘ actually generates mass movement towards the bar to follow his instructions.
The infamous ‘Callout‘, followed by an encore of ‘Party with the Devil‘ and ‘About That Life‘, seals an impressive performance. Admittedly, they could go further if they put a lid on their offensive nature, but it would not make them any stronger as entertainers. Attila thrive on hate, and those who love them are reaping the benefits. Never change, boys.
