Live – Hey Colossus at The Loft Portsmouth

Hey Colossus, The Loft, Southsea, 7th June 2019

Hey Colossus have been melting minds for 16 years now, and I’m led to believe that this is their first time playing in Portsmouth. It’s chucking it down with rain outside, but The Loft is absolutely rammed with eager punters tonight. The temperature is rapidly rising, and by the time the sextet hit the stage, most of us are already drenched in sweat. This is going to be good.

Tonight’s 10 song set draws chiefly from the band’s last four studio albums – Four Bibles (2019), The Guillotine (2017), Radio Static High (2015) and In Black and Gold (2015) – with an unreleased song thrown in for good measure. Sisters and Brothers gets things off to a steady start before the three pronged attack of new tracks, Four Bibles, Palm Hex / Arndale Chins and Memory Gore bring a heaviness and groove that sets the tone for the rest of the evening.

Hop the Railings deviates slightly by adding the motorik pulse of krautrock legends, Can, to proceedings before unreleased track Medal brings the noise once again. After that, it’s just one giant slab of noise rock after another, and the band really start to hit their stride.

Frontman Paul Sykes is clearly enjoying himself as he dances around and uses his microphone stand to engage with audience members filming on their phones. The rhythm section consisting of bass player, Joe Thompson, and drummer, Rhys Llewellyn, are the tight driving force that makes this band one of the best around. The addition of Chris Summerlin (Grey Hairs, Kogumaza, Haress) to the three guitar line-up adds another dimension of well-crafted tone and volume that ensures that last song, Back in the Room, is a bona fide skull crusher to end the night on a high.

Hey Colossus have worked incredibly hard to get where they are today, and they’re on a roll at the moment. Go see them in a small venue like this before they become colossal.

Setlist:

Sisters and Brothers
Four Bibles
Palm Hex / Arndale Chins
Memory Gore
Hop the Railings
Medal
Black and Gold
Experts Toll
Wired Brainless
Back in the Room