Hammerhead Events put on their ‘Blasts ‘n’ Slams’ event this summer in Manchester, a stupid and slammy goregrind show with artists from all over the UK. This rendition of Blasts ‘n’ Slams had a lineup that consisted of Black Mass, a surprise set (due to unfortunate last minute cancellations), Coprophagia, Burnt Body, Acid Vat, and Stuhlgang.
The second set of the night was a surprise set, as two bands, Dawn of Animosity and Septic Wound, had dropped out of the event quite unexpectedly. But Disgracing, a Manchester-based slamming brutal death metal band with members from .357 Homicide and Chainsaw Castration, decided to play an improvised set—swapping instruments, making up stupid song names on the spot, and just having a good time. Considering this was Disgracing’s unofficial first show, they were still able to put on a good performance, with slams that were definitely more than satisfactory. I really enjoyed Disgracing, and I don’t think I’m alone in that, especially considering the reaction of the crowd. Honestly, they killed it all set, and although they might have been unprepared and on short notice, it was definitely chaotic, off-the-cuff and entertaining.
Next, we were welcomed by the insanely talented and energetic powerviolence band Burnt Body, replacing Septic Wound for the night. Burnt Body showed an amazing amount of stage presence, with a vocalist screaming with everything he had, all the while requesting more moshers and more violence. Once again, this band had an insane crowd reaction—truly the most extreme set of the night. Some of the more memorable moments were them starting with ‘Queimadura,’ an insane opener for the set, followed by ‘Traitorous’ and ‘Face Mauled’ — all aggressive, fast-paced and lapped up by the crowd. But their last song, ‘Dirt View,’ with the final riff slowed down four times, was nothing short of absolutely batsh*t crazy, the crowd went absolutely mental, limbs flailing, and a very high-energy pit erupted. I would absolutely love to see Burnt Body back on a Manchester lineup very soon.
Last but not least, coming to the UK for the first time, is Germany’s finest poop-and-fart-inspired goregrind band, Stuhlgang. Coming out in diapers and not much else, this band really made the show end quite wholesomely compared to the rest of the night, which was rather violent. Stuhlgang was dancy, fun, stupid, and overall a really enjoyable experience. As someone who loves goregrind live but usually can’t stand to listen to the same bands in studio, Stuhlgang have some really great records that translate well both live and on record. I highly recommend checking them out live if you get the chance. I would love to see them again as their high-energy, faintly ridiculous, poo-based antics kept me well entertained.
Overall, I think this night was a huge success. It had great energy, the sound and lights were perfect, the crowd was welcoming, they were clearly there for a good time, and most importantly, I felt safe there, which is important at a show with such high-energy pits. The crowd were friendly, picking up fallen friends and strangers alike, looking out for each other but also having fun. Hammerhead Events have a long history of putting on really good shows, and this is no exception. I recommend everyone come to the next Blasts ‘n’ Slams—even just for a new experience—for a measly tenner.
