By Amelie Peters, Music Sub-Editor
Entering to the Beatles is a bold move, having your tour manager enter to the Beatles in your place is even bolder, but if you wanted boring you wouldn't be at a Bob Vylan gig.
Touring with their latest album Humble As The Sun, Bobby and Bobbi grace the stage of Marble Factory, bringing a frenetic energy, owning the warehouse space. Selling out the 1,600 capacity venue is no easy feat, and dominating the expansive stage with two people is even harder.
Expecting the charismatic, charmingly handsome Bobby Vylan, instead what walks out on stage appears to be an American baseball cap wearing stranger. I look around for a second - surely I'm not at the wrong gig. The baseball cap wearing strangers lifts his hands in the air, 'Are you ready?'. - and with that we did a guided meditation.
As the two Bobbies cross the threshold of the stage, coming into the purple hew of the stage lights, the temperature in the room shifts in a flash. Immediately a buzz with kinetic energy and an urgency to move.
The punk rock hip-hop legend Bobby Vylan grins, 'I'm going to do a guided meditation now, you should all join in' - and then we all do.
'Humble As The sun' boasts brutally honest, devoid of metaphor lyrics. The power of direct speech lends an honesty to his speech that resonates with a collective rage at the system of oppression. Angry and beautiful, the songs on this album are a call to arms, a shouting release of generational pain and a manifestation for change.
Intended to spark controversiality, '(GYAG) Get Yourself A Gun', is the first of many from the second album to be played. Setting the tone for the album, GYAG offers up raw nihilistic lyrics, describing a broken society of systematic injustice, and socio-economic problems. Echoing the frustrations of the powerless nature of the working classes to change there situations, the song is a conflict between the need to survive and the justifiable cross over with criminality. The deep political message entrenched into the music provides a cathartic outlet, screaming along the crowd seem to be releasing a pent up energy.
Bob Vylan has deservedly collected a cult following, comprising of a wide assortment, from mohawk wearing punks (How the Mohawk stayed up in the most pit is beyond me) to middle aged football watching men. Thriving on the obsession of the crowd, Bobby remakes the rules on the perfect crowd surf. Lifted up on the arms of those who worship him, Bobby surfs the crowd, whipping them into a frenzy. It's almost as if he's flying.
Sweat is rife in the air, drenching the backs of the middle aged men in the pit, making me almost weep as my freshly washed clothes get marred in away I will never forget. Bobby throws out a towel, it's caught by the only other girl in the pit who proceeds to rub his sweat towel in her face.
As with all punk gigs, the crowd in the majority tend to be men in there mid forty's who seem to have very little regard for either themselves and everyone else. One of the many things that makes me admire Bob Vylan so much is there acknowledgement of this - at previous gig's asking the men to stay out of the mosh pit whilst they play 'He's a Man'. Unfortunately by the time they played the song, there were roughly only three women left in the pit including myself, the rest scared off by the aggression and quiet possibly the heavy oder of sweat mixed with lynx Africa.
'It's time for our final song, and I like to thank a few people ... ' From beautifully honest lyrics, to a huge appreciate of everyone in the room, the duo come across as genuinely incredibly charming and lovely human beings. From bringing their tour manager out on stage at the end to thanking the bus driver. They are humble, wonderfully joyous and everything punk needs.
It comes to the final song and of course, they play 'Hunger Games'. A beautiful ballad and absolutely the only choice for the final song:
'You are stronger than you think you are. You are love. You are not alone.
You are going through hell, but keep going. Be proud, be open. Be loud, be hopeful. Be healthy, be happy. Be kind to yourself. Be decisive. Here, now'
What is your favourite lyric from the new album?
