Last night I had the supreme pleasure of checking out some good friends take to the stage at Facebar in Reading. The mighty Stone Soup and Pulverise were playing in support of WardXVI and they did an amazing job of setting the place off. First up were the Soupy boys, who by this point are a well oiled machine. The rhythm section was on point – tight, bouncy and with just the right amount of groove. Their unique brand of whisky-drenched hard-rock was on full display as lead guitar and harmonica playfully traded solos throughout. The entire performance was a masterclass in groove.
Up next were the effervescent Pulverise. Thankfully these heroes are main support for most of the Ward XVI tour. Speaking of rhythm sections; once again the crowd are treated to the controlled chaos that is the bass and drums. Vocalist Jo-Jo leads the charge with her infectious energy and manages to get the crowd to perform a novel “slo-mo wall of death”. Its just continuous good vibes and smiles from the gang. Both Stone Soup and Pulverise treated us to their latest singles to cap off their sets which went down very well (Fuzzy Brain and DEADSTOCK, respectively).
For the main event – and I don’t use that phrase mildly, we had the insane Ward XVI. Going in, I somewhat knew what to expect… but holy cow, how my imagination underestimated what was about to go down! From start to finish these guys were a blast. Ward XVI have mastered the art of theatrical performance perfectly entwined with musical prowess: it genuinely felt like an interactive theatre production. Again, “production” is completely apt here as they had all manner of props and surprises to propel the show to elite status. How they manage to set the stage like this night after night is testament to their dedication to the craft.
And all this without their resident drummer who took ill just a few short days into this tour (we wish you a speedy recovery!). The Ward team did a stunning job of not making the absence felt and in all honesty, I didn’t feel anything lacking in their show at all. I am looking forward to seeing the band again, with a full compliment of members in the very near future.
I highly recommend if you have the time and the means, go check Ward XVI out on their current tour. They play Bridgewater tonight and a few other shows in the coming days. If your nan likes theatre, bring her along – this could very well be her gateway into Metal too!
Some shows are live, some pre-recorded. All times are GMT
