Since 1995, Massachusetts’ icons Bane have been wowing fans and critics alike with their uplifting, inspiring brand of hardcore punk. But, sadly, all good things must come to an end , and the band bowed out with their final release, 2014’s Don’t Wait Up. Thankfully they weren’t done just yet, and tonight’s show at the Underworld (Bane’s last ever London show) is another installment in the lengthy process of the band saying their final farewells to as many fans as possible.
First up, Pittsburgh’s ever raging Code Orange. They haven’t stepped off the gas since the release of arguably the strongest hardcore record of 2014, I Am King, touring worldwide with a single minded relentlessness. In terms of their live show, all this practice has more than paid off – the Code Orange we see tonight are a well oiled machine, slick and focused. While they aren’t as rampant and intense as we’ve previously seen them (perhaps owing to the slightly more spacious venue than the death trap that is the Old Blue Last), their metal-infused hardcore is still every bit as abrasive, angular and introspective as ever. ‘I Am King’ and ‘My World’ are furious, full of distilled rage and angst. Bassist Joe Goldman looms over the crowd, inciting them to further acts of destruction. Despite getting a decent portion of the crowd moving, there’s perhaps a hesitance from the punters that the band might be a bit disappointed by. That said, a fucking solid performance from one of the best on the circuit.
Bane come onto the stage seeming a little humbled in the face of the heroes welcome they receive from London. From the first chord to the last, the crowd is a sea of movement – arms held high, choruses belted out word for word, and almost constant stage diving and crowd surfing. Aaron Bedard thrusts his microphone into the crowd again and again, pogoing around the stage, an endless ball of energy. Cuts like the Picasso-inspired ‘Sunflowers and Sunsets’ and the hard-edged roll of ‘Swan Song’ are anthemic, the band pushing them to ever more epic, soaring heights.
There’s perhaps a little less danger surrounding Bane than Code Orange, but they aren’t any more accepting of anyone’s shit. A fan who takes it a little too far in the pit is swiftly ejected, to chastisement from Bedard and derisive cheers from the crowd. They plow on, and Bedard’s heartfelt speeches of thanks reciprocate grateful applause from those there. The sense of unity and comradeship in the hardcore scene is felt keenly tonight, and as the men onstage throw out classic tune after classic tune, even those who aren’t Bane superfans are left grinning and feeling infectious energy. A poignant, uplifting end to their London shows. Bane will be missed.
