LIVE REVIEW: PRESIDENT AT THE O2 FORUM KENTISH TOWN, LONDON 21/04/26
Eight songs, just eight songs. Industry acclaim, a sold out EU/UK tour and a packed out debut at Download Festival with just eight songs- even more impressive when you remember the latter took place with only two tracks out in the world.
President are a bona fide sensation in the modern metalcore scene, harnessing the power of unanswered mysteries, finely tuned theatrics and a raw, honest sound.
If anyone thought we were to be eased in gently at the Forum in Kentish Town, they were sorely mistaken. TheBoyShadow, fronted by former Loathe guitarist Connor Sweeney - the only one of the quartet not masked- were a great choice of support. With only one song out, the parallels with President’s trajectory is kind of fascinating.
This new project is new-new. With the outfit’s first gig only a few weeks prior on April 6 at Camden Assembly there's definitely a feeling of being in attendance for the beginning of something exciting.
‘Give Me A Seam & I'll Show You The Meaning’, saw three vocalists leaping around the stage, Sweeney flanked by two boiler-suited figures- one in black and one in white. The trio however, felt less like a frontman with backups and more like a gang, attacking one by one and then all at once. With all three executing both screams and clean vocals, accompanied by the masked drummer behind them bashing the ever loving hell out of his kit, the whole experience can only be described as intense and the whole room was enraptured.
The rise of anonymous bands in recent years opens an interesting avenue of honest and fearless song writing that allows artists to say things they previously wouldn't as themselves. TheBoyShadow takes a much harder line than President, with two-stepping, fast metal riffs and a much more hardcore bent but the message is the same- it doesn't matter who we are, listen to what we have to say.
President set lists are still in the era of having just enough songs to make a complete headline slot. With all eight releases featuring, plus a beautiful cover thrown in for food measure, a President live show has no chance of disappointing you, your favourite track will be played for sure. We are in a blessed era though, it won't always be the case as the back catalogue grows and strong tracks are cut from the line up.
‘Fearless’, arguably one of the most quintessential songs so far in the brief President catalogue, opens the show with the tone of intense fandom set early as every word is screamed back from every corner of the room.
‘Rage’ is introduced with the Dylan Thomas poem ‘Do not go gentle into that good night’, the inspiration behind the song, and the more recently released ‘Angel Wings’ follows in its wake.
After a pit stop for a haunting cover of Deftones’ ‘Change (In the House of Flies)’, the Drummer, known only as Vice initiated lights up for ‘Conclave’, one of the most melodic and serene moments of the show, with President turning his microphone on the crowd for the last two lines of the song, “But I would love you anyway even in the afterlife” with a goosebump inducing beautiful chorus of voices filling the room.
Plato's Allegory of the cave provided an encore break of sorts and the band left the stage briefly before returning for the final part of the set.
‘Destroy Me’ which lands on the heavier side of the show does go through a smoother electronic vibe before hitting with one of the most intense breakdowns of the show as President screams ‘Get me out of this hell'. With the final ‘hell’ delivering a guttural scream.
Finishing the set with the first track the band released- ‘In The Name Of The Father’ President proved to the London crowd that they definitely aren't style over substance. Initial curiosity from last year’s enigmatic breakout has morphed into genuine fandom with the entire room singing along to pretty much every word of the set and merch lines out the door in the foyer. Whatever formula President have discovered, it's powerful, flawless and sensational.
Photos courtesy of @zakpinchinfilms.