Bob Vylan w/Hyphen, CLT DRP – Manchester Academy – Saturday 2nd November 2024

Unstoppable punk duo Bob Vylan return to Manchester for their biggest headline show in the city to date. In support of their album Humble As The Sun which released earlier this year, the band hit up Manchester Academy for a wild night of punk and hip hop.

vylan at the next level

Prior to tonight’s show, I am happy to say I have been able to catch Bob Vylan live four times with each set seeming to get better and better with increases in stage presence and design showing more care being put into the one of a kind live show the duo offer. However, whether it was to 250 people in The Pink Room or 1500 in The Ritz, Bob Vylan have provided a night to remember every single time I have seen them.

With bands continuing to grow in size and audience, pressure also comes with the venues getting bigger and bigger causing some acts to lose the power their music once had in a more intimate setting. Nevertheless, with Bob Vylan it couldn’t be further from the truth, with the band only sounding more electric and high-octane with the bigger speakers and stages. I was excited to see them take their show to another level yet again.

CLT DRP

Opening the night are electro-punks CLT DRP who’s infectious, uncompromising live show is a perfect way to kick the evening off. Their energy won the crowd over right away with all three members of the band giving it their all throughout. Even with only being on stage 30 minutes after doors opened, they have attracted a great audience, who I’m sure many of which will definitely be going home and checking them out further.

hyphen

Following from CLT DRP is Hyphen, a rapper who blends hip hop with punk and indie instrumentation. Lyrically is where Hyphen shines, through his biting political commentary that touches on a wide range of subjects, some of which are deeply personal. These tracks are communicated in a fantastic way in the live space through Hyphen’s deeply passionate performance which is spread out through commentary in between songs that gives them an even stronger impact. Whilst the more danceable, punk inspired tracks receive the best reaction from the crowd, it’s the feel-good hip-hop track Confidence that is the highlight for me with the fantastic, groovy instrumental that wouldn’t sound out of place on a Loyle Carner album.

here it comes

Time for the main event as the Bob Vylan boys make their way onto the stage soundtracked by The Beatles classic Here Comes The Sun. A fitting song not only as it ties in with their latest album title Humble As The Sun, but also as it immediately kicks off the show with pure positivity. Frontman Bobby Vylan looks around at the riotous crowd in front of him, taking it all in before starting the show. As always, the band open the set with their signature light stretching and guided meditation, working as a real calm before the storm. As the warming up comes to an end, the band launch into Reign, setting the show off in all the right ways with its bouncing instrumental and Bobby’s tight, commanding flows.

The band follow with more songs from their latest release, all of which sound even more exciting and full of life in the live setting. The two singles Dream Big and He’s A Man are early highlights in the set with some of Bobby’s best vocal performances to date as well as blistering drums from drummer Bobbie Vylan. Following these songs, drummer Bobbie gets a chance to shine with a captivating and impressive drum solo to the Roy Ayers classic Everybody Loves The Sunshine, which only further keeps the positivity and good vibes going as the night progresses.

oldies but goldies

The band wrap up the first section of the show by talking to the crowd about each of their albums and the journey they have gone on so far before mixing up the set with some older bangers. These include Northern Line from their debut album We Live Here, a song that perfectly encapsulates the negativity and anxiety surrounding the work commute as well as the breakbeat Wicked And Bad which is accompanied with sparklers on stage that erupt as the earworm chorus hits in. These are songs that perfectly reflect the direct and relentless, yet catchy sound Bob Vylan provide which makes them such a unique and captivating live act.

Another highlight of the night comes with the medley of GDP, I Heard You Want Your Country Back, England’s Ending and CSGB that hit the crowd over the head with nonstop energy back-to-back with each song almost interrupting the previous. As a big fan of the band, it is nice surprise guessing what track was set to come next. As the set comes closer to the end, the band offer the Manchester crowd a chance to request any song from their discography, something they say they haven’t done at any other shows on the tour. Bait The Bear from the groups second album Bob Vylan Presents The Price Of Life is the chosen track which absolutely goes off making it hard to understand how it couldn’t have already been in the setlist to begin with.

a force to be reckoned with

The final two songs of the night follow starting with We Live Here. We Live Here was my first introduction to the group and even with having heard the song multiple times since then, it still manages to hit just as hard tonight through Bobby’s upfront and honest lyrics in the verses paired with the striking, repeated chorus of: “We didn’t appear out of thin air, we live here”. The final song of the night is Hunger Games, another powerful track that has everyone in the crowd giving it their all one last time closing the show perfectly.

Bob Vylan are not only one of the most interesting and unique bands working in the UK punk scene today but are truly a force to be reckoned with in the live setting. I can’t wait to see them continue to push further and evolve their live show as every time I have seen them, I have been blown away.

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Bob Vylan online: Facebook / X-Twitter / Instagram / Bandcamp

Hyphen online: Facebook / X-Twitter / Instagram

CLT DRP online: Website / Facebook / X-Twitter / Instagram / Bandcamp