LIVE: Rudimental – o2 Apollo, Manchester 08.03.16

Rudimental rose to fame in early 2012. Emerging from the shadows, they powered their way into the blaring light of the UK top 40 with songs such as ‘Waiting All Night’ and collaborating with the likes of John Newman, Emeli Sande and Ella Eyre. In fact, they allowed Ella Eyre to receive the appreciation notoriety she so rightly deserves, firing her into the stratosphere. The buzz given off from their debut album, Home, is still present to this day, while their “difficult second album” maybe hasn’t had the critics jumping with joy, but has still generated a new wave of fandom.

When the band first emerged, there was tough competition from the likes of Disclosure, Clean Bandit, Naughty Boy, Labrinth and Katy B; Rudimental have shone above all of these, and are more than just the music. The shows they put on are energetic, passionate and pumped full of energy. The band love to perform and it’s blindingly obvious that they are overwhelmed with the support they have.

The group of four, originally from London, arrived in Manchester ready to party. There’s a difficulty in defining drum and bass, certainly Rudimental cannot be comparable to the likes of Andy C and High Contrast, but they are presenting the genre in a way that is accessible to the mainstream. Certainly this reinvention has been a success; Rudimental have won a Brit, a platinum award for their record sales and have been nominated for both a MOBO and Mercury Music Prize.

The o2 Academy in Manchester was packed to breaking point with avid fans. Bracing the freezing weather conditions and the warning of snow, they filed in their masses into this spectacular venue. The group certainly tested the bass potential that the arena had and they arrived on stage with a ridiculous amount of energy. The group showed just how many people go together to make the band who they are, with as many as 10 people on stage at once. The crowd sang along and jumped in sync with the quickening bass. The tempo was quick and pacey and the atmosphere was feverish. The singers switched effortlessly and at times, un-noticeably, the most notable of which was Will Heard. Will provided a soulful and moving performance of ‘Go Far’.

You often forget just how many songs this band have, and the more songs they fly through in their set, the more you realise just how much potential this band truly have. The band do not need to rely on and fancy dance routines or pyro, they are just all about their performance. The crowd leave the venue happy and energised, what more could you ask for?

Oliver Hope

Oliver Hope
Oliver. Twenty Two year old gigaholic. Currently living in Manchester. Master's qualified journalist.
Oliver Hope

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