Assumptions and perceptions often go hand in hand, for a community that is supposedly accepting of all genres, races and sexes sometimes our preconceptions can be one hundred percent wrong. Butcher Babies, fronted by two fantastic performers Heidi Shepherd and Carla Harvey might not necessarily be everyone’s cup of tea but sadly with the narrow minded Metal community many deem them not to be of the same calibre. Tonight the band take over London’s Underworld and I can whole heartedly say they most certainly are.
[date]22nd April 2016[/date]
[venue]The Underworld[/venue]
[city]London[/city]
[support_bands]Sumo-Cyco[/support_bands]
Before this however we’re treated to Sumo Cyco. Based in Canada the band have a fantastic opportunity here in Europe touring and though the energy is fairly high, the Underworld isn’t quite as responsive as you might want it to be. Despite frontwoman Skye Sweetnam actually getting physically involved with the crowd. The band put on a great show particularly with highlight of “Move Mountains” despite the abscence of Benji Webbe and are deemed more than worthy but our slightly sluggish London crowd could do with a bit of a shake!
After a short intermission we are greeted by both Carla and Heidi from the Butcher Babies crew with an exponentional amount of energy. Bursting onto the stage the band begin with excellent singalong “National Bloody Anthem” before launching into Take It Like A Man number “Blonde Girls Look All The Same“. Stalking the stage the wide eyes Carla belches out words that more than proves her worth on the stage here tonight. Though Heidi does seem to have the crowd eating out of the palm of her hand and has somewhat more of a commandeering presence. Regardless the two make a fantastic team flanking the crowd to ensure that Chrissy Warner’s drumming gets as full a treatment as possible. Igniting the first circle pit of the night with the floor board pounding “The Butcher” tonight the fans are in good hands.
Though the material on Take It Like A Man might be good, the band are absolutely brilliant live. Never running out of steam the likes of “Monster’s Ball” translate perfectly into a live setting from the frenetic introduction to Nu-Metal praising chorus which has every person hurling the lyrics right back at the Babies. Asking if the audience have any requests the band promptly launch into “Dead Man Walking“. With much of the material tonight from Take It Like A Man the band are clearly in their element. With the boys working in tandem with the girls ensuring that the crushing choruses are barrelled out just as devastatingly as you might think. Though personally not so keen on the overdubbed guitar, it doesn’t detract from guitarists Henry Flury’s performance who is on the button locking in with drummer.. whilst treating a blistering solo in the aforementioned “Dead Man Walking” to form an iron clad rhythm section.
Moving into older sections of their career the band end with the double whammy of “Medley” and “Axewound” seeing our early rising Underworld quite rightly puffed out. Often unfairly pigeonholed with prejudice for their overall image whatever your opinion of the band I implore you to go and see Butcher Babies live. Putting on a brilliant performance coupling energy, technique and straight up fun. There was hardly a face here at the packed out Underworld that wasn’t agape after the band’s departure and I for one relish the next opportunity I would have to see them. What they say is true, girls do it better!
