Live: Protest The Hero @ Club Academy

Protest The Hero
Club Academy
7th March
4 stars

There is nothing quite like seeing Canadian quintet Protest The Hero as they do not only bring technical prowess and a shitload of great tunes to each show, they know how to entertain. This was epitomised when they all came out to Elton John’s ‘Circle of Life’ whilst pretending to present baby Simbas to the onlooking masses before launching into a hit-filled set.

First though was main support act Long Distance Calling. The German instrumentalists were distinctly bland and did not make up for the lack of singing with any technical ability (bar the drummer). Furthermore there was a gaping absence of any charisma.

PTH, however, were in full throttle, firing straight into ‘Sex Tapes’ – an anthemic song to get the crowd going. It was a beautifully crafted set list from start to finish where fan-favourites, such as ‘Bloodmeat’, merged with tracks from their most recent album Scurrilous, such as ‘Termites’ and recently released single ‘Hair Trigger’. It was technically the tour for that album – albeit it being released last year – and what a fine and mature effort it was. All of the songs were executed near perfectly and generally well received.

I was near the front for the whole set, in a ten-deep assembled, rioting posse. We sung, we danced and some heckled with the band as they conveyed their humour, telling tales from on-stage and on the road. Frontman Rody Walker did not need to incite any pits or gesture for the crowd to go crazy; they just did (and would have concurred out of awe and respect anyway). Each song led to mayhem down at the front and boisterous sing-a-longs throughout. Personal highlights for me were tracks ‘Blindfolds Aside’ and ‘C’est la Vie’ (Not a B*witched cover!) – they brought the culmination of the show to a fantastic climax.

Protest The Hero – Hair Trigger