Fired up by a sound that mixes restive sludge and skeletal psychedelia Belgians STEAK NUMBER EIGHT [8] have a transfixing, deep-set groove, and their edgy, epic momentum holds the attention of everyone.
PRONG [9] have had numerous lineups over the years, but this one is among the best. While Tommy Victor’s unmistakable guitar style is still the thrust of the sound, bassist Jason Christopher offers angry, towering support while drummer Art Cruz is both thunderously precise and antagonistic. They start with new song Ultimate Authority, which already has the feel of a Prong classic, before shifting into the familiar Unconditional. The band never overstate the nostalgic importance of the 90s but don’t concentrate too much on modern times. The crowd, though, are really brought to the boil by the triumvirate of Lost And Found, Beg To Differ and Rude Awakening.
The main set ends with the opening three songs from the Cleansing album, with Another Worldly Device and Whose Fist Is This Anyway? preparing the path for the climactic Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck.
The encore is a triple hit spanning the decades, beginning with the manic For Dear Life, before the more recent, insidious Revenge… Best Served Cold and Power Of The Damager bring everything to a gloriously shuddering conclusion.
