If you can rely on one thing in life, it’s terrible weather in Manchester. Just on the short walk from the station I get soaked and it’s a relief to duck into the small but welcoming Rebellion club.
Main support tonight comes from South African/British alt rock trio New Volume and their catchy, hook laden sounds. Clearly an unknown entity to most in the venue tonight, they begin playing to an empty floor with people leaning against walls, clutching at beer glasses. By the end of their set however, they have amassed a respectable crowd infront of them and certainly seem to have gained fans. Their live performance is very good, full of power and personality with singer Tyron Layley’s voice perfectly complimenting the grooves provided by the band, which are reminiscent of Arctic Monkeys last release, the heavy grooving AM.
Next up is the main event, I Am Giant. They start very well: the huge riff of Purple Heart sounds great and the band as a whole are tight and the musicianship on display is excellent. However, after this good start, the songs begin to merge together and the set begins to drag. Ultimately, this show feels like it lacks personality beyond the musical connection of the four members. Despite the small size of the venue there seems to be a disconnect between band and crowd that did not exist for the support acts. As technically good as the musicians here are, the set lacks any stand out moments and ultimately, they are upstaged by New Volume.