Selling out The Bullingdon in Oxford is no mean feat, but hardcore artist Frank Carter and The Rattlesnakes are one mean-sounding band. Fortunately for us, music journalist Alyssa Nilsen (who only used to be editor-in-chief for Musikknyheter in Norway!) has recently moved to Oxfordshire and kindly offered to head down Cowley Road and report back on the carnage!
Frank Carter is a man of many voices, from the rage-filled days in Gallows, through the more melodic Pure Love, to his current project Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes, which somehow manages to envelop the whole range of expressions and sound in one package.
Frank Carter brought his Rattlesnakes to The Bullingdon as part of his sold out UK tour for new record Modern Ruin, and was greeted by an enthusiastic crowd as they started off the show with Trouble, a powerful number summoning singalongs and crowdsurfing alike.
It quickly became clear that the venue might not have been overly prepared for the kind of show Frank Carter brought to town, as by song number two, Fangs, there was already a steady stream of crowdsurfers flooding the stage, only to dive headfirst back out into the crowd - with no one to catch them when they fell over the barrier.
Not to worry, Carter held the mic with one hand, and steadied tumbling fans with the other, giving them a grin and a pat on the back as they tumbled back out. This is one of many things earning him the reputation of being one of the nicest people in rock and hardcore, being the perfect gentleman while simultaneously - literally - spitting out aggression through his songs.
Though musically it’s not all anger and hatred either; Carter took the time to look for lost watches among the churning crowd, to chat to members of the audience, and at one point dedicated Juggernaut to his bandmates, thanking them for helping make his dreams come true.
This night in particular was a big night for ex-guitar tech - now bassist - Tank, hailing from Abingdon and doing a sort of hometown gig at The Bullingdon. Musically, it’s all impressively tight and well performed, and it’s obvious to anyone watching that the members are thoroughly enjoying what they’re doing. Guitarist Dean Richardson also took his guitar for a spin on top of the crowd, not even once failing to play while doing so.
Carter’s strength as a vocalist was proven when, in a tender and emotional segment of the show, he made the entire crowd sit down and stay quiet while he sang Beautiful Death, dedicated to everyone who has ever lost a loved one.
Not one for staying calm for too long though, Carter soon had the crowd back on their feet, demanding an all female crowd surf for new tune Modern Ruin, stating that he wants his two year old daughter to grow up in a world where it’s not just acceptable for women to crowd surf, but where it’s as normal and safe as it is for men these days.
Ending the main set with Paradise, the boys left the stage for a few seconds, only to come back out for an encore even more chaotic than the main show. Devil Inside Me was performed from the bar across the room, before crowd favourite I Hate You saw the first knock-out of the evening, as the crowd-surfing saw an audience member crash down headfirst and get carried offstage by security 30 seconds before the end of the song. “Well, we nearly made it to the end!” Carter chuckled before finishing off the last gasp of the song to an enormous cheer.