It may have been a Wednesday night, but Manchester were not messing about, as GREY DAZE were welcomed to the Rebellion stage with open arms. The rock band from Phoenix, Arizona, was formed in 1993 by the late Chester Bennington and drummer Sean Dowdell. The band is determined to keep the momentum going, fronted by Cris Hodges, who is an extremely strong vocalist in his own right. With the release of their ‘MORE THAN I CAN OFFER’ EP, it feels like the start of the band’s revival.
PAVÉ
Manchester’s own PAVÉ know all too well how to get the crowd going, with vocalist Alanya regularly interacting with the crowd throughout the night and, of course, inciting pits. The band has a truly unique sound, perfectly balancing Alanya’s powerful vocals with a popstar edge and rock instrumentals by Kevin Peate on guitar, Meg Gale on bass, and Ben Pursehouse on drums.
The set started strong with ‘THE END OF US’ and started as they meant to go on; the band delivered an immense set, with the addition of a fresh release in the form of the incredibly raw ‘If It Hurts’. This new track added some variety to the set with a calmer moment before ‘SLOW MOVEMENTS’ began to bring the pace back up. Their set was rounded off perfectly with catchy and high-energy tracks, ‘Whatever The Cost’ and ‘CROWDED ISOLATION’.
Grey Daze
Last time GREY DAZE were in Rebellion, the band paid tribute to Chester, but this show was a sign of them stepping into their next era, whilst still being respectful to what had been built previously. Starting with the title track of their latest EP, the track is a good blend of the sound fans have come to expect from the band, with a splash of new influences driven by Cris Hodges. We would come to get more of this EP throughout the set, amongst songs from Chester’s era of the band, Cris’ vocals breathing a new perspective into the lyrics and making them feel like his own, while simultaneously honouring Chester’s legacy.
Their set also featured Dramarama’s ‘Anything, Anything’, a cover which featured on their album ‘The Phoenix’, alongside Alice in Chains’ ‘Man in the Box’, showcasing vocalist Cris’ range as well as the versatility of the rest of the band. Sean Dowdell, as the only original member of the band, looked truly at home playing the songs he helped shape, performing with passion and drive. The latest members to the project, guitarist Kenny Bulka and bassist Evan Nichols, had equally as big boots to fill as their new vocalist had, but remained unfazed as they truly delivered. Alongside Cristin Davis, they have developed into a tight unit ready to evolve into their next stage.
The band played hit after hit, and whilst the gig felt like the welcoming of a new era for GREY DAZE, the band was incredibly respectful, dedicating ‘Soul Song’ to Chester and also getting the crowd to shout his name whilst taking a photo at the end of the show. The band are honouring their past and moving forward, with Cris at the helm, driving the band to become a new beast.