Messed!Up
Exactly one year ago, Knocked Loose played Manchester Academy. They came back to premier their recently released album ‘You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To’ with an enigmatic performance featuring hit songs ‘Suffocate featuring Poppy’ and ‘Counting Worms’. The album’s title is mainly influenced by the lead singer Bryan Garris’ fear of flying. A stranger comforted him by assuring him he wouldn’t go before he was supposed to. This combined with him battling depression and loss. The band said in an interview with Apple Music that “There was way more pressure, and we had way more experience.” It immediately became clear that the pressure wasn’t enough to falter the performance at O2 Victoria Warehouse in Manchester.
The set began from their new album with “Thirst”. Immediately, the energy of the crowd swelled with people flying over the barricade. The energy in the room was immense and intoxicating. You couldn’t help but feel the heat radiating off the barricade as people were urged to create circle pits and mosh pits. Seeing so many arms and limbs flying on top of one and other had me questioning the alluring insanity of some of the moshers. People were flying over the barricade at such a rate that security had their work cut out. Even with the chaos, there was such community. People helping each other up at every step. People were so invigorated by the energy projected from Bryan Garris and Isaac Hale over the microphones. People were hanging off their every word, waiting for the next crunchy hardcore breakdown before launching themselves over the crowd.
The electricity from the synced headbang of every member could be felt through the entire room. In moments where Bryan leaves space for the crowd to sing, their screams completely overpower the instruments. The true volume could be observed from anywhere in the room. The danger of the walls of death, circle pits, and crowd-killing only added to the exhilarating atmosphere. I found myself jealous as I saw people throwing themselves onto the ground and letting completely loose as I stood in the photo pit.
During the song “Deadringer”, the crowd was instructed to move their arms side to side with each other. This was quickly redirected by the screams to push everyone near you, creating one of the largest mosh pits I had ever experienced. The excitement as the guitar riffs swelled combined with the optics of the white glowing cross behind the drummer had me hooked to every word. I could feel such raw emotion poured into the songwriting.
Each member swapped sides frequently, interacting with individuals in the crowd at all moments of the show. As the show ended, Knocked Loose left the crowd with encouragement to crowd surf. Bryan exclaimed ‘It’s now or never’ to let fully loose and do it, even if you’ve always been afraid to. The energy did not falter in the last songs. If anything, it picked up! Everyone wanted one last shot at dancing or moshing before normality returned and Knocked Loose left the stage. The energy afterward kept everyone in such high spirits. Some people had battle wounds, but huge smiles on their faces as they left with memories and experiences, they won’t soon forget.
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Photographer: Eliza Waite
