Last time Kent hard rockers 28 Hours embarked on a UK tour, it was a co-headline tour with Ashestoangels. This was just earlier this year. As you may know Ashestoangels have had a new genre named after them and gone from strength-to-strength. 48 Hours are still on the road and still on a mission to bring their new music to the masses. This music is reminiscent of the early ’00s nu metal scene. Imagine if nu-metal was played with more care, and lost the naff fashion mistakes and gimmicks – you get something as awesome as 48 Hours.
Following a slight venue change (the gig was originally meant to take place in Think Tank, but changed due to an electrical fault) we see the room slowly fill with fans new and old for one of the country’s best unsigned rock bands. Opening the gig are Remembering The Unknown: a local act who specialise in covers but also play original material. As a newer band you can see the passion a lot of bands have when they form. With time we could see this act headline one of these gigs. It’s also great to see local talent being showcased on this kind of tour.
This venue – The Dog and Parrot – is a pub which has a rich musical heritage. Meeting place for musical subcultures over the years from punk to indie, grunge, britpop, and back to indie again. Newcastle knows this is one of the most rock ‘n roll places to play. So who better to provide the soundtrack to this warm summer night than 48 Hours? Starting off strong with an earth shattering riff, the trio make their presence known. It is clear these guys are technically sound from the get-go. There are no guitar flubs, no feedback and tracks from their 2014 album ‘Recovery’ sound as good as (if not better than) the record.
It’s apparent that vocalist and guitarist Adam Jerome takes inspiration from US alternative – metal bands like Korn, as well as homegrown rock talent such as InMe. The zest for this genre really comes across in Jerome’s vocal and is complimented by harmonies with bassist Gary Broughton. Not to say Matt Savini isn’t doing anything behind the drum kit -because he really is. If you have seen the movie ‘Whiplash’ you will understand that drummers are just as energetic as any other band member -if not more. We have a power trio here – every member is important as the other and have the material to prove it. Tracks like ‘Hollow’ and ‘Betrayed’ are testement to this. As everyone in this room will agree.
Adam gets the crowd involved during ‘Not Alone’ – to which the audience respond well. Their energy and chemistry is something that pulls 48 Hours as a well-oiled machine. Gary gets so excited the mic falls off stage at one point. Even so, the Kent trio carry on as if it were part of their performance.
In this day and age, you don’t have to be signed to a major label to sell tickets and gain a following. Look at their former tour buddies Ashestoangels. Nominated for a Kerrang! award. Then you have the likes of Fearless Vampire Killers who tour overseas with big names such as Black Veil Brides. This is a new era in British music – the unsigned rock era. Another movement seen by this venue like many before it.
Although it was a relatively brief performance – this was polished and impressive gig, by a band who are bound to go on to bigger things in the future. I feel I will be telling people I saw this band ‘before they were big’ in a few years time.
All photos by Toni Ross / Drummergirl Photography
