A New Wave of Nu-Metal
Skateboards, baggy jeans, Jansport bags and jingly jangly chains. If this sounds familiar then you’re probably aware of and (secretly) psyched about the Nu-metal revival that has recently been sweeping across the UK. The clothing may remain in the past but the music is coming back with vengeance: P.O.D, Alien Ant Farm, Finch, Papa Roach and more are all returning to the live circuit. Sure, it’s the genre that everyone loves to hate but stop kidding yourselves, you know you loved it back then and after all, who doesn’t love a bit of nostalgia?
2015 kicked off with a tour combining the creepy cretins that are Korn with, those masked nu-metal nutcases, Slipknot, and since then we have seen swathes of bands from times gone by jump on the train bound for memory lane. Most recently, Hoobastank (who the fuck came up with that name?) have announced a tour joined by P.O.D and Alien Ant Farm.
With their initial commercial successes matched only by their sheer corny – yet oddly infectious – sounds, these guys represent a holy trinity of tour line-ups that simply cannot fail to make you feel fifteen again. Tickets to this out-of-the-blue and beautifully ridiculous spectacle are sadly all sold out but thanks to the bitter-sweet existence of ticket reseller websites, there is still a chance for you to sing your heart out to Smooth Criminal, if you don’t mind coughing up a few extra bob.
If the Hoobastank show isn’t quite up your street and you are feeling the need to tear it up a bit more then the upcoming Papa Roach show may take your fancy. It is said that cockroaches are one of the few creatures on earth that could survive a nuclear holocaust and this probably goes some way to explaining why Papa Roach are still persistently touring in what is undeniably the fallout stage of their career.
No one really gives two flying shits about their latest album, or even the several others that came before it. Infest, however, is a quintessential specimen of Nu-metal and their Brixton Academy show on 10th March is the perfect opportunity for us Londoners to reconnect with our angst ridden, teenage, former selves and rock the fuck out to Last Resort’
Last but certainly not least are the ultimate Nu-Metal/Post Hardcore underdogs: Finch. These guys have disappeared and reformed throughout the past decade and now London gets another chance to soak up the scream-laden sounds of this Post Hardcore outfit when they return for a show at Koko on June 2nd. You’ll have to be quick though as the band not only have a loyal following but no doubt also a horde of ex Nu-metallers who will jump at the chance of reliving their teenage years at this nostalgia-inducing gig.
After all, these shows are more than just gigs; they’re like sonic time machines. Watching Finch perform Letters to You or seeing P.O.D smash out Alive can’t fail to transport you back to your angsty, younger years where days were dominated by skateboarding, MySpace and MSN Messenger. And although we’re seeing a rush of returning bands these days, it won’t last forever. So what are you waiting for? Pick a show, dust off those Criminal Damage jeans, and lets all rock the fuck out.
Nick Vaughan
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