LIVE: Faun, w/ Ye Banished Privateers
Faun, Ye Banished Privateers
Band On The Wall, Manchester
24/09/2025
Live Review by Oli Gonzalez
The world of Rock and Metal comes in many shapes and forms, whether it’s the punishing Brutal Death Metal, the early days of Heavy Metal, or the low and slow world of Doom Metal. Some bands have taken inspiration from cultures of the past, bringing history to life through music. Most notably, Wardruna and Heilung, leaders of a sub-genre many have coined ‘Pagan Rock’. This is largely due to the intricate and intelligent deployment of traditional folk instruments and reviving ancient languages through the medium of singing. In the last few months, I’ve seen artists such as Kalandra and Eihwar lean into this sub-genre and offer their own twist on Pagan Rock.
Now, enter German Pagan-Rockers, Faun! They recently brought their own vision in the form of their latest studio album “Hex”, expertly incorporating traditional instruments with seasonings of Electronic and Darkwave music. This, combined with their reputation for bringing high-energy live shows, resulted in this performance at Band On The Wall selling out!
Half an hour before doors, and the queue was already snaking round the venue! A nod to this event’s popularity. I felt amongst the few who missed the memo about pirate-themed cosplay, though, as many were donning bandanas and eye patches! This resulted in a higher than usual pirate to ‘normal,’ dress ratio in the Northern Quarter. My battle jacket, band t-shirt, and comfy middle-aged Skechers would have to do!
It wasn’t long before we were admitted into the venue, and I was reminded of what a stunning place it is – one designed for live music! With the blackened interior that allows for an immersive experience and acoustically treated walls permitting excellent sound quality, it’s engineered with live performance in mind. After some liquid refreshment (at £4.60 a pint of cola, I had to make this last), it was time to get a good vantage point and stay there, as a large crowd had already assembled and beat me to the front! A mixed crowd of young, old, and all genders; doesn’t music have the power to unite?!
It wasn’t long before the lights went down and it was time for our first act of the evening…
Janice Burns and John Doran
The stage resembled a musical instrument store with an array of guitars, lutes, and other acoustics spread across the space. Though it wasn’t long before these inanimate blocks of wood would take on a life of their own as the duet of Janice Burns and John Doran worked through an array of Folk songs from the British Isles. A back catalogue including all our favourites such as ‘Song of the Fishgutters’, and ‘The Black Fox’… ok, not well known and definitely not on my bingo card for this year, but a wonderful surprise nonetheless! The crowd were clearly red hot and invested in this, and all too happy to hear a ballad about murder! Janice fed off this energy and engaged the crowd with a confidence I wish I could possess.
“I’m definitely checking them out on the way home!” I thought to myself. Mission accomplished then for the openers!
https://www.facebook.com/janandjon
Janice and John must have been very late additions to the lineup, as they were nowhere to be seen on the poster. An absence of any banner or stage scrim with their logo on seemed like a wasted opportunity to gain followers. Though there was little time to ponder booking and promoter decisions, as it was time for the main support of the evening in a very quick turnaround…
Ye Banished Privateers
The reason why many were dressed as pirates, and the reason why Band On The Wall became a drunken medieval alehouse for 45 minutes! Their energy was infectious and dynamic, a full band effort with all 8 members working the crowd into a frenzy. Like Faun, they also released an album in 2025. Whilst I hadn’t listened to it prior, clearly others had as they roared along as loud as the band themselves in parts. After all, songs like ‘Annabel’ are designed to get a crowd singing along in unison, like a good old rum-induced sea shanty. Though songs like ‘Waves Away’ were much slower, quieter, and drenched in emotion. Symptomatic of a well-paced and crafted set.
“10 more songs! 10 more songs!”
A solid performance which got the crowd demanding more, but sadly this never came. Maybe next time you’re in Manchester, ey?
https://www.facebook.com/YeBanishedPrivateers
Faun
The lights went down for a third time, and the roars were the loudest! About as warm a welcome as it could be for what we learned was the German band’s first appearance in Manchester. As the set progressed, it was clear this could no way be their last here! They captured the essence and spirit of the ancient sounds of Pagan life elegantly through the deployment of a vast array of traditional folk instruments. Whether it was the soothing melodies of the flute and lire, the cavernous pulsating beat of the drums, or the hurdy-gurdy carving out the riffs, this felt as authentic and genuine as you can get! In fact, when the time came for an hurdy-gurdy solo song, this got a much greater reaction than the band had anticipated, leaving them visibly in awe and appreciative of their fans.
Praise must be handed to the sound engineers. God only knows how you can mic up and make all of these instruments sound good live, and with the instruments constantly changing throughout the set, this only makes the mix more complex to manage. They sounded consistently phenomenal throughout, and for me, they were the only band to take full advantage of the venue’s lighting and smoke machine to add extra gravitas and atmosphere to proceedings. The pace of the set was much slower, the mood more serious, more austere, less of a party than Ye Banished Privateers. This felt like an immersive deep dive and celebratory experience of the old Pagan ways. Faun have clearly mastered their sound and performance, and far exceeded expectations!
https://www.facebook.com/FaunOfficial
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Disclaimer: This review is solely the property of Oli Gonzalez and Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this review, unless you have the strict permission of both parties. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
