Must-See Live Music, Perfect For Lockdown (Part One)

Check out these incredible shows from some of our favourite bands…

June 2020

Lockdown has been a difficult time for us all, not least for those who are out there on the front lines saving lives. In these tough times, more than ever, we need quality entertainment to take the edge off and fill the void left by the activities we’re no longer free to pursue.

For those who enjoy attending live music events, that particular hole has proven difficult to fill. While musicians are constantly performing and providing us with new material, live from their own homes or studio spaces, the shared experience of a live gig is incredibly hard to replicate. Without the excited buzz and feedback of an expectant crowd, live performances can suffer from a lack of engagement.

There are notable exceptions though, proving that a live audience is not always a necessary component for a great show and when you combine that with the incredible wealth of live material already available, it’s clear that there’s plenty to keep us busy until venues can re-open their doors.

To get you started, we’ve selected some of our favourite live performances including classic shows by established bands, high-energy entertainment from hungry young artists and mind-blowing lockdown performances. There’s a little something for everyone.

NOFX - The Decline - Live At Red Rocks w/ Baz's Orchestra (2019)

NOFX are a high-energy, rebellious punk rock act from Los Angeles, California, formed way back in the early 80s. In 1999, they released their classic EP “The Decline”: a scathing 18-minute satire of American culture and politics. It’s an absolute belter.

20 years later, NOFX joined forces with Baz And His Orchestra (who previously released an instrumental version of The Decline in 2016) to perform the album live in its entirety. The band are considerably older but that skate punk attitude is still there, fused with some extra ska-punk brass sounds from the live orchestra. It’s loads of fun and a perfect choice if you’ve only got 20 minutes to spare.

If you want to know a little more about “The Decline” then check out The Scratch Cast’s “Top 20 Albums Of All Time” countdown where Grant picked it as his #18 album of all time - listen to the clip here or the full episode here.

Code Orange - Last Ones Left: In Fear of the End - Live At The Roxian, Pittsburgh (2020)

Code Orange are a hardcore punk band from Pittsburg, Pennsylvania who are constantly pushing the boundaries of extreme music. Their experimental juggernaut, Forever, wowed critics in 2017 and in March 2020 they released their massively hyped fourth album Underneath. As it turns out, that hype was entirely justified and Underneath is a radically ambitious fusion of hardcore, electronics and industrial metal.

Code Orange had an intensive tour scheduled to support Underneath and it had the potential to expose them to a much broader audience and boost their rising profile. Unfortunately, the tour had to be cancelled just as the lockdown hit but the band again proved themselves to be leading innovators by live-streaming this incredible show on Twitch.

Last Ones Left: In Fear Of The End is a massive moment in music. It not only shows a band adapting and pushing forwards against adversity but it’s also an utterly captivating performance. Brutal, technical, heavy as hell and with some crazy sci-fi visuals, it’s an absolute must-watch.

Grant and Snedds covered Code Orange’s Underneath on Episode 8 of The Scratch Cast, so check that out here if you want to hear their thoughts on the album.

Turnstile - Live At The Classic Grand, Glasgow (2018)

Turnstile from Baltimore, Maryland are one of the most exciting bands to arrive on the hardcore scene in the last decade. Their unique brand of alt. rock-infused, hardcore punk is a breath of fresh air, bringing a much-needed dose of fun to the genre. This sense of fun shouldn’t be confused for a watering down of the elements that make hardcore great because Turnstile still lay down crushing riff after crushing riff alongside an ecstatic and aggressive bass bounce.

Turnstile’s live shows are a frenzy of adrenaline with near-constant stage-diving and crowd-surfing and the band thrive on this. They dominate the stage, leaping around with incredible energy and lead singer Brendan Yates’ unique style of dancing is sure to bring a smile to the face of even the most hardened spin-kicking lunatic.

This particular show from Glasgow’s Classic Grand perfectly encapsulates the experience of a live Turnstile show. Unfortunately, the crowd proved too wild for the venue and security had to shut things down around the 20 min mark… but… the show must go on.

Turnstile’s 2018 sophomore album Time & Space smashed its way to #19 on Snedds’ list on The Scratch Cast’s “Top 20 Albums Of All Time” countdown - listen to the clip here or the full episode here. It also made an appearance on our list of “The 35 Albums of 2018 You Must Listen To” and we did a full review of the album here.

Zeal & Ardor - Live At The Electric Ballroom, London (2018)

The band Zeal & Ardor was born when frontman Manuel Gagneux responded to an online forum request to merge black metal with the sounds of the underground railroad. Realising the potential of this new sound, Gagneux released the short but impressive debut “Devil is Fine” in 2016, as a proof of concept solo project. The surprise success of the debut ultimately led to a more ambitious and polished follow up: 2018’s “Stranger Fruit” - an absolutely brilliant record.

Gagneux assembled a full band to realise the massive soundscapes on “Stranger Fruit”. The haunting and powerful gang chants, bone-shaking riffs, searing lead lines and harrowing harpy shrieks are a uniquely satisfying blend of disparate genres that translate incredibly well to the live setting. This performance from London’s Electric Ballroom in 2018 is a seriously good show.

The quality of the show speaks for itself and it was eventually released as a live album in 2019. It’s one of the best live albums to be released in recent years.

We highlighted “Stranger Fruits” as one of “The 35 Albums of 2018 You Must Listen To” and we also gave Zeal & Ardor a 2019 “Alternative Brit Award” for “Best International Group” - check out all of the other winners here.

Nine Inch Nails - Live At Woodstock (1994)

In 2020, Nine Inch Nails have an extensive back catalogue that includes numerous full-length studio albums, EPs and concept records, but back in 1994, they were only on LP number two. They’d seen a steady rise to fame since the release of the synth-heavy debut album “Pretty Hate Machine” but it was the follow-up “The Downward Spiral” that pushed their sound further into more savage industrial rock and heavy metal territories.

Nine Inch Nails’ powerful set from Woodstock ‘94 is a great introduction to the band. Sure you won’t get to hear some of the later hits like “Hurt”, “The Hand That Feeds” or “We’re In This Together” but what you do get more than makes up for that. There’s the demented floor-filler “Closer”, the razor-edged banger “Wish” and the off-kilter beat storm “March Of The Pigs”, to name but a few.

To this day Trent Reznor and long time collaborator Atticus Ross continue to innovate outside of Nine Inch Nails, notably earning an Academy Award for their work on the soundtrack for “The Social Network” and a Grammy for “The Girl With A Dragon Tattoo” soundtrack. Over the years they’ve influenced countless artists, including The Dillinger Escape Plan’s Greg Puciato, Guns N’ Roses’ Axl Rose and more recently, Code Orange.

SlipKnot - Live At Download (2009)

In the beginning, SlipKnot were lumped in with the rest of the (mostly) abominable bands from the Nu-Metal scene of the early 00s due to their use of samples and scratching. They are, however, head and shoulders above most of the bands involved in that scene. Their visceral, self-titled debut is pure nightmare fuel, lauded by critics, adored by fans and hated by “normies” the world over.

Somehow, their second studio effort “Iowa”, was even heavier than the debut and follow up records “Vol. 3” and “All Hope Is Gone” secured SlipKnot as one of the biggest bands in the world. Their 2009 performance at Download Festival could be considered as the crest of this rising wave, often regarded as their single greatest live show.

As a live act, SlipKnot stalk the stage like a bunch of costumed maniacs recently escaped from a mental institution. They beat the shit out of themselves, each other and their instruments while pulverising the crowd with a constant stream of brutal hits at ludicrous levels of intensity.

Whilst the quality of their output has dipped over time, 2019’s “We Are Not Your Kind” is something of a return to form and anyone who’s fallen out of love with SlipKnot over the years should definitely check it out.

PUP - Morbid Stuff - Live At The Garrison, Toronto (2019)

Since their inception in 2013, Canadian punk rockers PUP have been releasing high energy records full of storming riffs, self-deprecating lyrics, catchy pop hooks and lightning-fast, ear-worm guitar leads. PUP’s output could never be described as a “Pathetic Use of Potential” and their third record, 2019’s “Morbid Stuff”, is arguably the band’s best record yet.

“Morbid Stuff” is practically perfect on every level. The songwriting, musicianship and production are top-notch, all 13 of its songs are fantastic and at just over 35 minutes, it doesn’t overstay its welcome. It’s no wonder that these songs translate brilliantly to the live environment as well, proven wonderfully by this full album performance from The Garrison in Toronto.

As a live act, PUP are a slightly ramshackle unit. Each note isn’t pitch-perfect and every line isn’t delivered perfectly in tune, but that suits this band just fine, fitting perfectly with their lyrical subject matter and musical aesthetic. Their energy and clear love for performing these songs are infectious and the sheer number of crowd-pleasing sing-along moments throughout their sets is frankly astonishing.

We reviewed “Morbid Stuff” right here and it made such an impression on Snedds that he named it as #20 on his list for The Scratch Cast’s “Top 20 Albums of All Time” despite it only coming out in 2019 - check out the clip here and the full episode here. We also featured the song “Kids” on our “Best Songs of 2019” playlist which you can listen to here. As if that wasn’t enough, we also caught PUP live in 2019, alongside a load of other great acts - check that out right here.

CONJURER - Live at Saint Vitus, Brooklyn, New York (2019)

Conjurer have been making waves in the realms of heavy music ever since the release of their promising EP “I” dropped in 2016, however, it was the release of their incredible full-length debut, “Mire”, in 2018, that truly cemented them as one of the best new bands around.

Conjurer’s sound is crushingly heavy, full of long doom-laden passages, bleak, crusty riffs, throat-shredding growls and discordant instrumentals. There's a lot of punishment on offer but the band has a real knack for mood and tension, delivering some truly astonishing and beautiful moments.

The thing about this band is that they're also brilliant live, consistently impressing festival and support crowds - “Did you see that band Conjurer? They absolutely crushed it.”

In 2019 the hard work paid off and they were taken on a US tour with Rivers Of Nihil, winning over new fans night after night. Kerrang! recorded their live show from Brooklyn’s St Vitus Bar and it’s an excellent performance. If you like heavy music and “Hollow” doesn’t win you over then just go away and listen to “Five Finger Death Punch”, or whatever it is you’re into, quietly in the corner.

Unsurprisingly, “Mire” featured on “The 35 Albums of 2018 You Must Listen To” and the group secured a 2019 “Alternative Brit Award” for “Best Breakthrough Act” - check out all of the other winners here. Conjurer were also one of the bands we saw live in 2019 - check out the round-up right here. By the way, their Curse These Metal Hands side-project alongside members of Pijn (that’s Pine, not Pidgeon) is also worth a look. The song “High Spirits” made our “Best Songs of 2019” playlist - listen here.

Every Time I Die - Live At Buffalo Riverworks, Buffalo (2019)

Buffalo New York’s Every Time I Die are one of the best heavy bands out there today, blasting out a devastating combination of metal and hardcore. To date, they’ve released eight amazingly consistent studio albums (with a ninth on its way), each one bursting at the seams with absolute ragers. They’re also incredible live…

Each year in December, ETID put on a live Christmas show “TID the Season” (see what they did there?) and with 2019’s event reaching an impressive 15-year milestone, the band headlined two consecutive nights and featured a massive 12 support acts. This performance is from the opening night at The Buffalo Riverworks - prepare for your face to be melted.

Check out our review of Every Time I Die’s show at Philadephia’s Union Transfer - feat. support from Turnstile (see above), Angel Du$t and Vein - read it here.

Jamie Lenman - Live At Lenmania - Tufnell Park, London (2017)

After a triumphant return to music in 2013, with the experimental double album Muscle Memory (his first studio album since the release of Reuben’s “In Nothing We Trust” in 2017), Jamie Lenman finally released the long-awaited Devolver in 2017. Devolver is a slice of musical genius, packed full of melody, extremity and all-out weirdness - it’s an absolute joy to listen to.

Where most bands would just hit the road and tour their new album, Lenman decided to do things a little differently, setting-up an entire festival and inviting a bunch of great bands along to perform - including Employed To Serve, Palm Reader and The St. Pierre Snake Invasion.

This video covers Mr Lenman’s entire headlining set and features songs from Devolver and Muscle Memory, guest vocalists, a cheeky Madonna cover and some old Reuben favourites too.

Check out some of our thoughts on Devolver from the pre-release listening party right here. How about our review of JL’s wacky covers album Shuffle from the first-ever episode of The Scratch Cast? Listen here. We also have reviews of some of Jamie Lenman’s other live performances here and here. We’ve also reviewed Caprice Enchante the sophomore release from The St. Pierre Snake Invasion right here. Finally, you can listen to Snedds’ review of Reuben's debut album right here.

We hope you enjoy these recommendations. Please check out some more cool stuff below and stay tuned for Part Two in the coming weeks.