Funeral For A Friend kick off Dr. Martens #STANDFORSOMETHING Tour 2014 in Edinburgh

There’s an autumn chill in the air as the Dr. Martens #STANDFORSOMETHING Tour, in association with DIY, arrives in Edinburgh for the first date of the 2014 leg, but that’s not stopping anyone.

First up, bestowed with the duty of kicking off proceedings at Cabaret Voltaire are Forty Four Hours. Having driven all the way from their native Manchester, they may be far from home but a warm welcome still awaits the trio. In fact, tonight is one of their first twelve shows - the band are just nine months old - but their brand of guitar-driven pop proves promising in the live environment already.

Next on the bill, God Damn are quick to show that they’re not messing around. Having already spent most of 2014 doing the rounds on the festival circuit, earning a record deal with One Little Indian in the process, it’s safe to say that they’ve developed quite a reputation when it comes to being loud. Tonight, despite being hindered by a rogue microphone stand, they’re brash and noisy in all the best ways. Packed with a heaviness that’s both insatiable and that little bit unhinged, the two-piece know no limits. Whatever their debut album has in store, it’s going to be one hell of a listen.

By the time that Funeral For A Friend hit the stage, there’s sweat dripping from the walls. With the crowd crammed forward into the tiny venue, a roar goes up as the five-piece’s first chords roar out of the PA. The next hour or so sees them rip through tracks from their last fourteen years, each with the same power and energy that they possessed when they were first aired. Songs like ‘Roses For The Dead’ and ‘She Drove Me To Daytime Television’ cause chaos in the crowd, while their newer efforts sound great in this small space.

It’s not long until the confines of Cabaret Voltaire start to burst at the seams: it takes just a few songs for the barrier to buckle, and - after a crowd-wide chant for fan favourite ‘Juneau’ is answered - it finally collapses with just one line to go. Halting the show for a few minutes, it’s a welcome breath before the quintet plummet headfirst into ‘Hours’ cut ‘Streetcar’ and begin the home straight. Final track ‘History’ provides the most spine-tingling moment of the night though; after a night of chaos and noise, things close with the crowd raising their fingers in salute for its last chorus, and as the band drop out for the last few moments, they leave just a sea of voices and ringing ears.

The UK Dr. Martens #STANDFORSOMETHING tour in association with DIY continues on to:

OCTOBER
11 Eagulls + Mazes: Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff
25 We Are The Ocean + Arcane Roots: The Shipping Forecast, Liverpool

NOVEMBER
22 Los Campesinos! + Johnny Foreigner: The Flapper, Birmingham

DECEMBER
05 Tonight Alive + Only Rivals: Cluny 2, Newcastle

Tickets are on sale now from ticketweb.co.uk/standforsomething.

Tags: News, Funeral for a Friend