//Gig Review\\ Cryptic Sundays featuring Reliquia,Babsovet and Banquet-Grand Central13/10/2024

On a cool night in Manchester’s Grand Central, three bands took the stage to ring in another exciting pre-Halloween week in the best way possible: an inspiring edition of the venue’s cryptic Sundays featuring Manchester goth band Banquet, Doom Metal/post-punk powerhouses Reliquia and dark side of history loving heavy metal band Babsovet. Here is all that went down.

Babsovet

Crashing through the gate first were Babsovet, who prided themselves on a powerful and wall-shaking heavy metal performance, kicked off in style with their first track of the set ‘Conqueror’ which from the get-go, showcased captivating stage presence by the abundance and a united musical front. This band were clearly here to put on a show to remember and they wanted everyone to be part of it whether they were new fans or a long-term member of the band’s community.

A fierce call from lead singer Sam Begley of “Let me hear you!’  while clad in black boots and a tasselled black jacket gave an atmosphere of anticipation and excitement for what was about to grace the stage, greeted with warm applause within the first few minutes of the set. This set wasn’t just about playing music but having fun while doing it. This band held your attention brilliantly, whether it was with their look or with their musicality, people seemed to thrive off their energy.

With a lead singer so intertwined with the music he and his band performed from thrusting his hands in the air to match the crash of a cymbal to moving along to a guitar solo that brought him joy despite the subject matter of the song, you couldn’t help but be hooked in.

This band were about performing, as many are however, there was clear storytelling at the centre, and a clear passion for what they were singing about, with one particular instance including a dedication song to HP Lovecraft; ‘This one goes out to thee Harold P Lovecraft’, which embodied a passionate warning tone and lyricism that would have been a perfect fit for a film or book scene featuring an attacking sea monster or dangerous mythical cryptid, this band knew exactly who they were at their core.

This band had more to showcase than just ominous storytelling and hard-hitting heavy metal though, with a high-energy guitar-led track which showed a fun and brighter side of the band, “we’re gonna speed it up a bit now, as we’re getting a bit sad, and we’re all northern bastards and we’re here to have a good time”

If that wasn’t enough to showcase who Babsovet were at their core then their self-titled second to last of the set track named ‘Babsovet’ would go on to do the job beautifully. Accompanied by pounding fists, powerful intertwined musicality and lyricism this track brilliantly showcased Babsovet doing what they do best, making Grand Central’s stage their very own. Whether they were pulling moves within the crowd or matching every beat with an air punch,babsovet was here to rock and teach you a bit of history while they’re at it.

After much fun, all good must come to an end, this band’s final song made sure that they left their mark on the venue, one of ferocity and powerhouse heavy metal antics that left you hanging off every song and lyric.

With a combination of intricate storytelling, powerful, atmospheric heavy metal and brilliant stage presence Babsovet brought something truly special to Grand Central, and it’s an experience to be had at least once by all.

Banquet

With the cool night beginning to creep in, Banquet were next to take the stage, with a sense of gothic whimsy and catharsis that set a tone of mystery and delicate darkness from the get-go that would slot perfectly between bands like The Cure, Bauhaus and Desire.

If you were looking for a musical world of dark passion and dreamy whimsy then this band were it, casting a spell that left you feeling brilliantly dazed and intrigued by what was to come next.

Fly Me Away was one of the first tracks to mystify the crowd, with dreamy reverb guitars and a strong musical chemistry that packed a passionate punch that you couldn’t help but resonate with emotionally.

To Banquet, music seemed to be a well-understood language between the crowd and themselves, as well as a humbleness when it came to getting to bare their soul through it, ‘you’re too kind, we’re banquet, and I’ll do some more talking later’ was their only introduction, the music was where the magic truly lay.

By the third track, Banquet had the crowd watching with wonder, listening closely to the band’s direct-from-the-heart lyricism and sense of catharsis like it was their own experience, this was a track you could easily release all your troubles to.

Banquet weren’t just a band about the dark side of life and the difficulties experienced within it though, they were an experience to be part of rather than watch.

With the shedding of a very magical leather jacket, worn by lead singer Quinn, came a shift in musical tone from the band, from one of melancholy to a delicious tone of mystery and ominiousness with a Hypnotic cover of Bela Lugosi's Dead (originally by goth heavyweights Bauhaus) that involved Quinn singing the cover both on stage and lay on the floor in the crowd singing the chorus immersing the crowd in the set further. The cover was so accurate it earned Banquet a brilliant comment from a crowd member of  "Omg I loved you in Bauhaus" after the song had finished.

This band had layers of musical and performance references to turn to and they were fantastically embedded into the set, from 80s suits to bahaus-esque delivery of lyrics and stage presence. From ominous guitar tones to beautiful melodic dreamweaving, this band brought hopeful, bright gloom guitars to the forefront as well as winding melancholic woe, pulsing drums and passionate vocals in equal measure, to create something magical.

Lost in the magic, before you knew it, there were two songs left, with the second to last acknowledged alongside their excitement to be playing in the good company of the two other bands of the night; "We've got two songs before headliners Reliquia! wooo"

The last song of a live set can be the one that people remember the most and can sometimes be the one people will recommend you on, and Banquet were sure to pick a closer that would leave you feeling mystified in the best way.

Like stars on a dark night, Banquet shined bright throughout their final bow and finished off with a track called Crickets, a track with a distinct melancholic and melodic atmosphere that brought forth a strong final burst of brilliance and heart from the band. A chance to shine taken on with full realisation of who they are and want to become.

Goth is truly alive and well in the hands of Banquet.

Reliquia:

As the night drew to a satisfying close, it was time for one last treat at Grand Central’s Cryptic Sunday event in the form of Reliquia who combined doom metal with a gothic edge and melodic post-punk delivery, to create a headline set worthy of the passionate cheers it got from the crowd.

Reliquia delivered a solid set of otherworldly spine-tingling vocals, rich Nightwish/The cult eqsue musicality and a whole lot of hypnotic theatrics presence that you couldn't help but be enveloped in. With this winning combination, Grand Central was in for a brilliant musical treat.

Songs were effortlessly delivered by the band's lead singer Greg, who felt every motion and every lyric that passed his lips. This was perfectly combined with the band’s distinct style to create something deliciously dark, bringing a side of gritty guitars with an abundance of doom metal vocals that ricocheted through the venue with undeniable intensity and fierceness particularly when it came to showcasing their latest single. This band don’t mess around when it comes to playing live.

The venue was easily enveloped in the band's orbit, captivated by what they were hearing and seeing with every note played and moment created by the band’s hypnotic melodic rock and doom metal aura.

There was something for everyone to love, whether you were a new fan or a long-term one, when Fear of The Light hit, the band embraced 80s goth melodics with killing moon-esque guitars and a classic gothic vocal delivery that led into an offering of post-punk passion.

Reliquia’s headline set felt like a story being told, the lore woven between lyrics of woe and hypnotic stage presence, incredibly effortlessly.

There was fun to be had beyond storytelling and melancholic tones though, with one particular in-between-the-tracks moment showcasing a relaxed, warm side to the band who were more than meets the eye, including one instance where the lead singer remarked that ‘Halloween is a Goths festive season" a statement very much agreed on by the present crowd, there was even fun to be had when it came to the band mentioning the platforms they’re on taking a humorous approach, ‘you can find us on LimeWire, Spotify’.

As the set continued, the band’s musical soundscape broadened brilliantly, with a track that possessed ominous tones underlaid with guitars that gave a sense of foreshadowing to something sinister to come thanks to the track’s throaty metal roars and fierce musical backing that enthralled the onlooking crowd with power.

Contrast was central to this band’s set, for the track that followed on from the one mentioned above, was introduced as a track you could ‘waltz to’, that painted a story of woe with a powerful musical underlay that built up into something so cathartic you could feel it deep in your soul. The band’s final track of the night was certain to keep this catharsis in full swing.

The final bow of the night and Reliquias set was ‘Give’ a drum-led heavy metal track that made sure you weren't to forget this band anytime soon. From the get-go, you felt every beat as if it were part of you, and every minute felt like a journey you never wanted to end. Building power complemented with choral backing, and Gothic vocals intertwined with otherworldly-sounding guitar riffs, this track was the perfect musical cherry on the cake.

With a grand finale, a brilliant evening of wonderful goth, metal and rock came to a satisfying end and solidified in everyone’s memories that not only is Grand Central the place to be but also that Reliquia, Banquet and Babsovet are here to bring the Manchester music scene extra dose of power and magic.