Yashin - Satan's Hollow, Manchester 04.03.2016
The night opens with Liverpool Pop Rockers Diamond Days. This will be the second time I've seen them live now, the first being last years X & Y Festival in Liverpool. Just like the first time, Diamond Days instantly engage. Their blend of rocky riffs and pop overtones make for enjoyable listening. I don't feel Satan's Hollow's crowd offers the enthusiasum that these guys deserve, but it doesn't stop the lads playing a strong half hour opening set. Still very much in their infancy as a band I can see great things ahead and as they continue to evolve and progress. I can honestly see these guys going far.
Next we have City Of Ashes. I instantly pick up on lead singer Orion Powell's engaging accent and further research reveals he hails from Vancouver, Canada. Already I'm feeling it. The winning comination of his smooth canadian vocals and the bands all out melody driven songs makes for an incredibly exciting band. As stated their task is to warm tonights crowd ahead of the headliners and thats exactly what they do. Their energy is infectious as they go about commanding the room with a batch of incredibly strong songs. Having never heard of these guys before I can safely say they have a new fan in me.
Finally it's time for Yashin. Almost 3 years to the day I witnessed them for the first time, supporting We Are The Ocean in Birmingham. As quickly as they'd blown me away and put themselves on my radar they dissappeared completely. Apart from the occassional Facebook post there wasn't much action from the band. All of this now makes sense as it has been recently revealed how they've fought with people within the industry to have the freedom to release their latest album. So has 3 years changed my opinion of the band that wowed me back then? Simple answer is no. If anything they brought more to the table. It is clear that, what was effectively a 3 year hiatus, has only made their fire burn brighter rather than extinguish it. Even though tonight is an intimate setting, the energy in the venue could move mountains. They reward their loyal fans, who have stuck by them through the highs and lows, with a set that compliments the strength of their work of old and new. My personal highlight of the night was, and will always be, 'Stand Up". This is a song I hold dear and even have lyrically tattooed on myself. It was powerful 3 years ago when I heard it for the first time and it was just as powerful tonight.
From here on out they can ony climb. I hope, as I'm sure many do, that they can reclaim their rightful place on the scene and continue to tour in larger venues. Tonight was special. Welcome back Yashin!
Yashin - https://www.facebook.com/theyashin/?fref=ts City Of Ashes - https://www.facebook.com/cityofashesband/?fref=ts Diamond Days - https://www.facebook.com/DiamondDaysUK/?fref=ts
