BLACKGOLD - Newcastle: Northumbria Uni SU - Reds. 24/04
- Char
- Apr 27
- 3 min read
Supported by Ghost Bandit and PENGSHUi
London's answer to bringing back 90's nu-metal with modern messages to "make nu-metal great again".
Ghost Bandit
Newcastle/Essex-based DJ Ghost Bandit started the show with a perfectly curated setlist, getting the crowd hyped as they entered the venue before the live music kicked off. Mixing old-school hip-hop, metal, and punk rock, the night's tone was established as people found their spots in the venue and sang along with pints in hand.
'FIX UR FACE' by MGK & Fred Durst mixed seamlessly into 'Bleed it Out' by Linkin Park which set the room ablaze with the room chanting the chorus above the music. We also got to hear the debut play of Ghost Bandit's homegrown remix of 21 Pilots and Fort Minor which was well balanced, complementing both original tracks with a new ounchy edge.
'Cult of Personality' dropped as a nod to Ghost Bandit's wrestling-themed background, and the set concluded with Andrew W.K.'s 'Party Hard', with everyone now fully hyped along to the track before PENGSHUi take to the stage.
Ghost Bandit setlist:
Can't Get High - Red Leather
Texas Tea - Post Malone
C.R.E.A.M - Wu-Tang Clan
Can I kick it - Tribe Called Quest
No Diggity - Blackstreet / Dr.Dre / Queen Pen
Shimmy Shimmy ya - Ol' Dirty Bastard
Can I get a - Skindred
Wicked & Bad - Bob Vylan
Close Your Eyes (And Count to Fuck) - Run The Jewels
From Me to u Remix - Baby Metal, Major Lazer, Poppy
FIX UR FACE - MGK & Fred Durst
Bleed It Out - Linkin Park
Voodoo People - Pendulum & The Prodigy
Renegades of Funk - Rage Against The Machine
Cult of Personality - Living Colour
Nookie - Limp Bizkit
Kill the Power - Skindred
Party Hard - Andrew W.K
PENGSHUi
Also hailing from London, PENGSHUi come as a tightly wrapped spring of hardcore energy that erupts as soon as they take the stage.
The genre-blending sound of metal, punk, grime, and electronic bass isn't heard on the mainstream and packs a punch with every track. Vocalist Illaman displays a wide range of vocal talent, from holding long, heavy screams to flawless rap verses
PENGSHUi know how to fill the stage with powerful stamina, but Illaman also has the crowd under control, getting a circle pit started in the centre of the room, "Have we got the energy for that! Round and round we go!". This carried on to their remix of 'Omen' by The Prodigy, Illaman explaining beforehand that Liam Howlett had reached out to ask if they wanted to do an official remix, to which they answered, "Yes, we fucking do!" Illaman had the entire room jumping to the song's chorus, filling the room with an electric energy that set the precedent before BLACKGOLD came to the stage.
In a time when artists are becoming more vocal about their stances on government corruption and the state of the world, PENGSHUi are definitely making waves in the movement and leading the way with a British take, drawing on their grime influences in genres predominantly filled by American artists.
BLACKGOLD
The densely packed room erupts as soon as the quintet strides onto the stage with their signature anonymous masked attire, their style matching the urban spraypainted stage design that complements their sound. Launching into 'Wake Up', has the crowd chanting the chorus loudly back to lead vocalist Spookz, and it's clear from here that the band hasn't just curated a musical sound unique to themselves, but also a movement. Each member of the band had time in the spotlight, be it solos or taking up the main space of the stage, which is a refreshing sight to see that each member is as respected for their part to play as the lead vocalist. 'Dance Like That' had everyone in the venue bouncing as Spookz made sure to interact with the entire audience, his energy not appearing to diminish even slightly throughout the entire set. His vocals stayed incredibly clean, also showing his vocal range, from screams to rapped verses, whilst constantly filling the space on stage or up against the barrier. Ending with 'Boogeyman' after stating "we don't do encores", both the band and the crowd poured any remaining energy into the song, the floor opening for final mosh pits and vocals bouncing from every corner of the room Overall, BLACKGOLD's show feels like a party, a safe space to say "fuck the system" and a place to respect elements of music from different genres as they unite everyone. With nu-metal experiencing a resurgence, we can easily see BLACKGOLD leading the way in making waves with their contemporary take.
BLACKGOLD setlist: Wake Up Social Blackout Today's My Day Its Art One Chance Old School Sound Cash Rules Dance Like That Bring The Noise Crazy World On Another Level Aint going Out Like That Boogeyman
