Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes / Rock City / Nottingham
Hot on the heels of the release of their fourth album “Sticky” (a LiveWire 10/10 review October 2021) Frank Carter & the Rattlesnakes headed out on tour, and to Nottingham’s icon Rock City, which Frank himself calls on of his favourite venues.
Well known for their energetic and lively shows, this was one not to miss.
As you would expect the set list contained a number of tracks form the new album “Sticky” but it also covered the back catalogue of fan favourites too. The show started with a frenetic pace (and never relaxed really until the end !) with My Town. A bold and powerful track from Sticky about mental health; ''my town it looks like yours, we hide those tears behind closed doors''and the perfect opener. Immediately the mosh pit started up, and the crowd started jumping around, screaming out the lyrics, taking the place of IDLES Joe Talbots. crowd, screaming along with the charismatic frontman. The energy in the room is almost physical, you can almost touch it.
As wild as FC&TR shows can be one thing to mention is Frank’s commitment to speaking out on violence against women and making gigs a safe place for women, especially after the recent spate of news storied of injection spiking cases. So for the next on e Wild Flowers Frank encourages the crowd to form a woman only mosh. It’s refreshing to see artists putting words into action and the crowd love every second of it.
As we move through the set list, crowd pleaser Kitty Sucker hits us with it’s sexually charged lyrics and heavy guitar riffs and the crowd are whipped up even more into a frenzy. From here we dive headlong into Sticky with its powerful bass intro and Dean’s frantic riffs. And the mayhem rises another notch as Frank gets amongst the fans, who carry him into the centre of the Rock City dancefloor.
We have more from “Sticky” including the excellent Off With His Head as the very talented vocalist, Cassyette joins the band on stage. After the classic Devil Inside Me, we are joined onstage by the enigmatic and unique Lynks for Bang Bang and Go Get A Tattoo. When we reviewed “Sticky” we thought that these would be great tracks live and we were right, especially Bang Bang which is a powerhouse of a song. he audience enthusiastically shouting “Bang Bang”. Lynks adds a great sound to these tracks and they were highlights on the album too.
Carter’s antics continue to stress out the security staff (thinking health & safety !) and delight the crowd in equal measure, as he walks through the crowd through the brooding track Acid Veins, and leaping into the audience surfing through Cobra Queen. Highlights of the show were Lullaby (from Modern Ruin) and Crowbar (End of Suffering). Crowbar starts quiet and explodes violently, with the crowd enthusiastically joining in the chorus of ‘Go and get the crowbar’. The atmosphere is simply electric.
And before you know it, its over. You can almost feel the audience collectively trying to gets it’s breathe, an intensity in the air still.
Frank, Dean and the guys are true showmen, and it’s hard to knock their live performances. They put their heart and soul into every single show, making the audience feel like this is unique and just for them. The shows are full of energy, power, talent, noise and attitude.
Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes are a band that just don’t seem to every slow down….. and long may that continue !
Set List
My Town
Wild Flowers
Tyrant Lizard King
Kitty Sucker
Sticky
Rat Race
Cupid’s Arrow
Off With His Head
Devil Inside Me
Bang Bang
Go Get A Tattoo
Acid Veins
Cobra Queen
Take It To the Brink
Lullaby
Angels Wings
Crowbar
Original Sin
Support was provided by two artists, who both contributed to the latest album “Stick” with performances from Cassyette (performs on ‘Off With His Head’) and Lynks (Performs on ‘Bang Bang’ and ‘Go Get a Tattoo’).
First up we have Lynks on stage from Bristol. It’s hard to describe a genre for Lynks, but I think that would suit perfectly, a law unto himself, a genre of his own. Singing to ‘weird’ laptop beats, dressed in drag with a troupe of female dancers in support. It has a crazy pop-dance feel, and is all about having fun. That’s what we’re here for right? Lynks is uncompromisingly entertaining, bringing raucous drag shows to his pop performances. A brilliant set up for whats to come.
Then, before the Rattlesnakes took to the stage, we were entertained by Cassyette. Described as a "pop provocateur" Cassyette powers through a thoroughly entertaining set of 7 track set list of “hardcore, women-fuelled rock".
