Text by Snaz Craig + Photos by Isaac Watson
Melodic rock band RIDE show Newcastle’s Boiler Shop their enthusiasm for a musical career that has stood the test of time, with support from hazy rock outfit junodream!
Drenched in a hazy, Dune-style orange, junodream waste no time in bringing pulses of cinematic melodies that connect their lively-yet-laidback music, which is as delightful as it is captivating. The dream-rock band of friends began making music together in 2018, steadily gaining momentum and a loyal fanbase.
The band write relatable songs depicting the alienation of the modern day, and it’s this melancholic theme that flows throughout their dreamy set which evokes a chilled, but very uplifting, stadium vibe. Stand out song ‘Nobody Wants You’ with its layers of intense, heartfelt emotion, has been a firm favourite of mine for a while now, so it was a surprise to embrace the vibrant track live in all its glory, as the band perform each track with a passionate and playful presence that had me in dreamland until the last note!
Displaying a heady selection of sonic delights both new and established, melodic-rock headliners RIDE have taken things up a gear this year, with the release of their 7th studio album ‘Interplay’ and a wild UK tour to celebrate the new release. The Oxford-based four-piece, who formed way back in 1988, bring with them a grounded set of performances, resplendent in melodic hooks that steered the audience, which is made up of a diverse range of ages, to rock out and sing-along to their favourite songs from the first chord. A steady, well measured flow of hearty songs set the tone for much of this Newcastle show at The Boiler Shop.
Stand out new tracks ‘Last Frontier’ is a true crowd-pleasing highlight, followed by the equally danceable ‘I Came to See The Wreck’, both taken from their latest album, sounded superb together. The real excitement came towards the later stages of the set, with RIDE saving their best, and somewhat energic songs to conclude the gig on a rocking high. It was all too easy to give into the increasing speed and intensity of the drums no doubt matching the heartrates of the fired-up audience.
The night concluded with an epic three-song encore emblazoned with a dazzling cascade of lights, began with new track ‘Light in a Quiet Room’, which is a deep-dive into the more mellow side of RIDE’s style of guitar-driven rock. It was fun to watch the reception that 90s track ‘Leave Them All Behind’ received. The track itself was an all-or-nothing wall of sound that produced a frenzied response from the adoring crowd, while set closer ‘Chelsea Girl’ went full throttle, unleashing heavier guitars, thrashing drum patterns and strong vocals that brought this thrilling set to a satisfying finish.
This was a wholesome, and all-round cathartic live show that truly showcased the extensive music of RIDE, while simultaneously displaying the band’s robust enthusiasm for a musical career that has stood the test of time, and it’s clear to see that they have much more to offer on their journey.
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