Baroness & Graveyard / Rock City / Nottingham

I’m excited for this one. I’ve seen Pallbearer (The Fleece in Bristol with Elder) and Graveyard (at Rock City with Clutch and Kamchatka) before and both were fantastic, and I Was looking forward to seeing Baroness for the first time live. This is a co-headline show, so both Graveyar and Baroness have longer sets and tonights its Baroness’s turn to go last.

First up are Little Rock, Arkansas natives Pallbearer who are Brett Campbell (lead vocals & guitar),

Joseph D. Rowland (bass) Devin Holt (guitar) and Mark Lierly (drums). They released their debut album “Sorrow and Extinction” in 2012. More recently, they released the incredible “Forgotten Days” in 2020, and earlier this year “Mind Burns Alive”. Forgotten days is still a regular lister at LiveWire Towers – check it out !

First up, as you’d expect it’s a short set but Pallbearer don’t disappoint. They pump out a thunderous wall of sound. Initially in Sorrow and Extinction it appears theres some issue with the mix, the vocals not clear over the instruments, but its soon resolved and Bretts vocals shine through.

Their live sound is just ginormous and what I love is the prominence of Jospeh’s bass in the mix, as he sways back and forth as he delivers some delicious bass licks. The guitars are nice and rich, packed with distortion and noise, which sit so nicely behind Brett’s clean vocal style.

Highlight for me is the incredible title trac of the album “Forgotten Days” which has so many levels and intricacies to it. Doom is a love it / hate it form of metal for many. For me, I love it, and there are none better at it than Pallbearer. They end the set with Mind Burns Alive from the latest album

I knew what to expect from Pallbearer, and they didn’t disappoint. If I had one complaint ?....... I just needed more !

Setlist

Sorrow and Extinction (2012)

Foundations of Burden (2014)

Heartless (2017)

Forgotten Days (2020)

Mind Burns Alive (2024)

Graveyard were formed back in 2006 in Sweden, and coming from a doom / folk background, have developed their very own take on psychedelic and blues rock. They are Joakim Nilsson (guitar & vocals), Jonatan Larocca-Ramm (guitar & vocals), Truls Mörck (bass & vocals) and Oskar Bergenheim (drums). They’ve released five studio albums from 2007’s self-titled “Graveyard” to 2023’s “6”.

The contrast from Pallbearer is significant, but the energy levels are the same, as they deliver a fast paced hard rocking set right from the opener Twice. Between them Joakim and Truls deliver some exceptional vocals draped across some searingly good guitar work.

They have a well balanced set, ranging from the dark and melancholy to bright and lively rock, but everything delivered with energy and emotion. Hightlights for me were An Industry of Murder a wonderful cover of Uncomfortably Numb and the simply incredible Walk On.

Graveyard shone, and there was something here for every rock taste in the room. The crowd were buzzing and up on their feet bouncing along to every track.

Graveyard

Twice

Please Don't

Cold Love

From a Hole in the Wall

An Industry of Murder

Slow Motion Countdown

Hisingen Blues

Uncomfortably Numb

Rampant Fields

Walk On

Ain't Fit to Live Here

The Siren

And then its finally time for heavy metallers Baroness, all the way from Savannah, Georgia. Formed in 2003 they’ve seen many lineup changes with just frontman John Baizley the sole original member. The current lineup consists of John, with Sebastian Thomson (drums), Nick Jost (bass) and

Gina Gleason (guitar & vocals). They released their debut album “Red” back in 2007, and have released six, most recently “Stone” in 2023.

If Pallbearer was melodic waves of doom drifting over the audience, and Graveyard was top notch blues rock….. then Baroness were here to deliver the savage and relentless metal assault on our ears ! It’s power and non stop energy and every single track leaves you breathless.

Baizley is an imposing figure front and centre…. Tall, muscular, tattooed and an envy-inducing beard and he brings the energy as he dominates the stage around him, as he screams out the vocals with venom. He’s backed by some stunning guitar work from Gina.

The setlist is packed with classics and fan favourites, each as good as the last. My personal favourites were exceptionally solid versions of March to the Sea, If I Have to Wake Up (Would You Stop the Rain?), Tourniquet and Take My Bones Away.

The energy is just soaked up by the willing crowd and the place is buzzing. There’s something about Baroness that just seems to get under your skin in a good way and pull you in. Gina is a demon on guitar, technical and accurate pulling off some great riffs, and a loving every second of the performance.

Pallbearer and Graveyard were as good as I’d expect, and I LOVED my first experience of Baroness live, who brought the energy and delivered a standout performance. All three demonstrated top class musicial skills and from first song to last, the night just flew by.

A night of vey different styles, that worked so well together, and as whole delivered one of the best nights at Rock City this year.

Baroness

Last Word

Under the Wheel

March to the Sea

Beneath the Rose

If I Have to Wake Up (Would You Stop the Rain?)

Fugue

Shock Me

Swollen and Halo

Tourniquet

Isak