REVIEW: BOYS WITH X-RAY EYES AT CARDIFF SOLUS (28/10/10)
Two songs into Boys With X-ray Eyes set list and you know that the assault on your ears is going to continue. After an impressive line up of support bands, including Her Game Is Over, the headliners take the stage. Armed with a new vocalist to accompany Ben Morgan’s piercing screams, you can tell this is a band that has firmly found their feet.
There are still some chains to be shaken off, but that is to be expected when a new member joins the band, but all in all, BWXE are enthralling to watch and to listen to. Crowd interaction is always a winner if you want people to leave your show happy, and the fact that Ben spent most of his time off the stage and within arms reach of screaming fans lets you know that no one was going to be disappointed.
The one let down of the whole gig was the crowd. The venue wasn’t full, and a handful people seemed more interested in wandering around and engaging in conversation than watching the bands, although I’m unsure how they managed to hear each other.
The band must have planned that playing most of their new EP and favourites from their debut album would ensure everyone was going to hear the song they came to hear, and it worked. For people that weren’t previous fans of the band, the stage presence and the musicianship that was shown was enough to sway them. The guitars were tight, the drums pounding and the vocals intertwined. By watching BWXE, you know exactly why Ryan Richards (FFAF) has invested so much of his time in this band with his management, and it’s easy to see that the band is meant for bigger stages and bigger crowds.
Words: Will Parke
Photo: Leigh Parke
