My final, final show of 2017 is one that I’ve been waiting all year for. Frank Carter & the Rattlesnakes at the legendary O2 Brixton Academy in London.
Frank made a record called Blossom a couple of years ago that is a post-hardcore top ten for me. Falling somewhere between Quicksand, Fugazi, and Refused, this record is solid from start to finish. It’s the kind of album that defines an artist’s career and one that we will all look back on twenty years later as not only a game changer, but as an iconic source of inspiration for those who chose to follow.
I had never heard of Frank Carter until I moved to the UK. The song “Juggernaut” popped up on a Spotify playlist (the predictive algorithms are getting very good) and I was hooked. This track is one of the heaviest things I’ve ever heard, and combined with its message, it makes you feel like you can take on the world and kick its ass twice over. It’s the song you put on at the gym and listen to ten times in a row. Then I heard it live and it was even better.
Frank is a bonafide star here in the UK having sold out the Brixton Academy to some insanely loyal fans. It just so happened that this tour was focusing on the brilliance of Blossom, playing every song from the record, but not necessarily in order.
Twenty plus songs later the Brixton Academy received a Ph.D. in all things hardcore. Frank Carter & the Rattlesnakes absolutely destroyed the place and left the crowd in awe. It was a brilliant night for Frank and the fans, and one hell of a way for me to end the year on a high note. If you don’t have Blossom, buy it immediately and prepare to rule your day and not take shit from anyone. You’re welcome.
