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“This is a fucking rock ‘n’roll show!”, he taunted. Flanked on either side by guitarists Josh and Liam, the three of them were like the England front row, pushing, pushing, forcing their will forwards. As a result, I could barely see the engine room of the two Adams, but their presence was undeniable, creating the platform from which the others could leap. Confession time: I got a bit carried away by Liberty Lies, and forgot to make any notes, but that’s a good sign, right? Suffice to say I want – correction, NEED – to see these guys on a bigger stage. They were like caged animals tonight. I want to see them unleashed, unconfined… out in the wild! If Liberty Lies come within pasty-throwing distance of Devon again, I’ll be there. No notepad, no camera, just a ticket and beer tokens! Speaking to Ben Stenning, The Fallen State vocalist, before the show, he was saying how tonight’s show, a sweatbox venue on a Sunday night, was a ‘thank you’ to their hardcore following at the opposite end of their home county. Judging by the number of Fallen State shirts in the crowd, and the lyric knowledge of the singing (not to mention the euphoric whoops and applause), that’s exactly who was in the house tonight! Bearing in mind this tour is primarily to promote the new EP, ‘The View From Ruin’, the set list was carefully constructed, easing us in with a pair of belters from ‘Three’, followed by a couple from the last EP, ‘Crown Your Shadows’, before hitting us with the up tempo ‘Sleepless’, followed by the extremely catchy ‘Four Letter Word’. Both get enthusiastic reactions from the crowd, many already word perfect! ‘Nova’, the current single, stands out, with its obvious commercial appeal, and tonight, it is exquisitely performed, Stenning’s soulful vocal really making an impact. We returned to the back catalogue for the rest of the set, rounding things out with ‘Sinner’, perhaps The Fallen State’s best known track to date, thanks to some valuable network rotation. The enthusiastic calls for an encore “One more song!”, which soon became “Two more songs!” would be honoured, but first we had to wish a suitably embarrassed guitarist, Dan Oke, a happy birthday! I said at the top that these small venues are the lifeblood of the modern rock and metal scene. Tonight reaffirmed that belief. Tonight, we were treated to three great sets from three great bands, up close and personal. Bands and fans as one… an extended family, united in music. Yes, seeing legends perform at an enormo-dome is spectacular, but venture underground, and for the price of a pint, there’s a very real chance you’ll stumble across your next favourite band. A band for whom you buying a tee from keeps them on the road, keeps them making music. A band you can’t wait to tell your mates about. So, here we are, friends. I’m telling you there’s a great show from The Fallen State heading to Birmingham, Nottingham, and Manchester this week. Thank me later. Review and Images: Rob Nankivell [gallery type='flickr' user_id='132278830@N06' view='photosets' photoset_id='72157677661947794' columns='3' tag_mode='any' sort='date-posted-desc' per_page='43' layout='square' caption='title' thumb_size='s' main_size='z' ]]]>
