LIVE: Midnight, Wolfbastard
Wolfbastard, Midnight
Rebellion, Manchester
31/07/2025
Live Review by Oli Gonzalez
Thursday night in Manchester. I was bound for Rebellion once again with my ears still ringing from the aural carnage that was Offal Fest the weekend just gone. Tonight would be a much shorter, sharper blast of 3 bands… Well, I assumed there would be 3, but High Command weren’t on the bill as I had thought (I’m not sure why I thought that). Still, this 2 band set up allowed for more attention from the sound engineers, longer sets, less time hanging around between bands, and ultimately a more interesting experience. It was a respectable turn out too, considering that the big summer festivals were right round the corner and many have their offices on as they jet off to different parts of the world. A range of ages too, from those in their teens and older wiser greyer heads in the crowd. All of which speak to Midnight’s popularity, the headline act for the evening. A band I had not been familiar with but several of my friends had assured me that they would put on a great show. Would their predictions be correct? Though first, the support act…
Wolfbastard
Hailing all the way from Oldham, the Blackened-Thrash power trio kicked things off. A band I was already familiar with but hadn’t seen for almost 6 years! They were highly entertaining with fantastic banter between themselves and the audience, making this feel like a standup comedy show! Though jokers on stage, their music is no joke. Fierce, raw, and played with intensity, their style is reminiscent of Venom or Bathory, the older earlier Black Metal acts mixed with faster Thrash elements. They had slowly built a steady stream of momentum and our first pits of the evening formed 20 minutes into the set. Even Dez breaking a guitar string couldn’t stop this momentum as the band’s bassist and drummer took over with an impromptu grindcore song! A great fit for the headline act and a solid opening set.
https://www.facebook.com/dbeatblackmetal
Midnight
“MIDNIGHT! MIDNIGHT! MIDNIGHT!”
The crowd were clearly fired up as they chanted the band’s name in unholy unison. The band wasted no time in bursting onto the stage straight into top gear and putting on an absolute clinic in Blackened Heavy Metal in the process! They’ve spent years honing their craft and it showed, with their energy feeling raw and spontaneous, and anything but pre-planned or rehearsed. The crowd lapped this up and we saw seemingly never ending circle pits, and wave after wave of crowd surfers.
The band spoke of their admiration for Discharge, the British hardcore-punk legends who were cited as a crucial source of inspiration for them. Imagine how they would have felt when vocalist JJ appeared on stage to perform a cover of ‘Protest And Survive’ in a spontaneous ‘you had to be there’ moment. The set closed out with more fast paced high octane riffs that went faster than an hour really should have! Having things wrapped up by 9.45pm was amazing for the over 30s like me in the crowd and those who had work early the next day! A set length that was short, powerful, and did not outstay its welcome.
https://www.facebook.com/midnightviolators
Well, Midnight far exceeded my expectations on this night. Another gem brought to us by the good folk at Tapestry Promotions and also the staff at Rebellion who are keeping the music scene alive even during the height of festival season. How privileged I am to have access to shows only a few miles from my home here in Manchester!
Venue: https://www.facebook.com/rebellionmanchester
Promoter: https://www.facebook.com/TapestryPromotions/
Video Review: https://youtu.be/cq59VG9yiLA?si=uqbr5pJuLR2repKG
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