Dayseeker - Albert Hall, Manchester 10/12/2024

As the year starts to draw to its end, the gigs also slowly start to drop off, but there are still some big hitters including tonight's show at the Albert Hall. Tonight, American post-hardcore band, Dayseeker bring their 'Dark Sun Protocol' tour to Manchester with support from Heart of Gold and Rain City Drive. 

First on tonight is Heart of Gold, a band who may stick out a little from the rest. Leaning heavily into a synthwave-esque sound, the band deliver a joyful and emotive set. My reasoning for saying they stick out a little is because the songs feel a lot lighter, and have a much poppier sound than that of the other bands on tonight's line up, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing and it's something that's highlighted on stage, by vocalist, founder and writer of the band's music, Michael McGough. After a few songs, he opens up about the choice of musical style and states “Music has no boundaries”. His vocal performance is impressive, whilst his vocal range is huge, it's the emotion and feeling that you can hear in his voice which elevates these songs. On stage there is also frequent movement from both the bassist and guitarist, who are both clearly feeling the music as the dance and move about the stage. At times the songs sound like a poppy, synth-tinged 'This Wild Life', giving the crowd a chance to move a little before things get heavier. It's an easy listening set which at times seems reminiscent of 80’s pop or new romantic era music which keeps the crowd entertained. 

Next up tonight, all the way from Florida is Rain City Drive. Originally named Slaves, they dropped the name back in 2021 and re-named themselves as Rain City Drive. Fast forward to 2024 and they’ve had an exciting year leading up to and then releasing their latest album ‘Things Are Different Now’. On this new album they progressed their sound further whilst remaining true to themselves, resulting in an album featuring big riffs and melodic tone. With a large screen showing the album artwork and under a blue hue the band start their set, kicking things off with ‘Frozen’.

From the start, it's clear, these are all talented musicians in their own right, each able to showcase their own skill set without ever overshadowing the other members. This feels a complete contrast to Heart of Gold’s set as the riffs keep coming yet still tinged with a pop edge. On vocals for Rain City Drive is Matt McAndrew, who is best known for his stint on 'The Voice' many years ago. His vocal range is something to be commended in itself and his confidence makes his performance seem effortless, as he commands the crowd with ease. 

Musically, Rain City Drive can be likened to some of the lighter songs from the likes of Bad Omens with the use of pop-synth backing tracks amongst crunchy riffs and booming drums. The style is something that is also shared with headliner, Dayseeker. Whilst they may never meet the same heavier style that Dayseeker have, the crowd are clearly loving it as they jump, bang their heads and scream along. But the biggest moment from tonight's set was during ‘Medicate Me’ where the band are joined by Rory Rodriguez of Dayseeker to fill a dual vocal roll. Having recorded the song together, it feels right that he should join the band on stage for the live performance, to much applause from an already excited audience. As the set draws to a close, it's clear the crowd have more than enjoyed their time with the band. It's an enjoyable set which oozes confidence and a sign of bigger things to come from the band in the future.

Dayseeker are the main attraction tonight, bringing with them their own unique blend of post-hardcore songs. Dayseeker are a band who already held status but took that further with the release of 2022’s ‘Dark Sun’ which saw the band take their sound to new heights, gaining much critical praise in the process. Tonight's show is one of the biggest UK headline shows and is also being recorded for a release next year. As lights dim, a screen illuminates the stage, displaying imagery followed by a countdown, as the band take to the stage, kicking things off with ‘Dreamstate’ before moving into 'Crooked Soul'.

It's easy to see the appeal with Dayseeker. Their sound is unique and stands out as something which has been well thought out and carefully worked at to achieve the desired mix of heavy moments, dreamy soundscapes and uplifting melodic sweeps brought together by the incredible voice of Rory Rodriguez. With a range that goes from mesmerising melodic highs to deep screams he stands out as a truly impressive front man. But it's not just Rory that makes tonight's performance so exciting, the whole band share a chemistry which stands out on stage; accompanied by some impressive visuals, it really brings the show to life. 

Stand out moments from tonight's set include an exciting performance of ‘Burial Plot’, prompting the crowd to illuminate the room with phone torches which then swayed back and forth. During ‘Paper Heart’ Rory also paid back the favour of his appearance during Rain City Drive’s set by bringing Matt McAndrew onstage to sing alongside him, making for an exciting addition to the set. Another unexpected moment was the inclusion of the band's cover of Evanescence’s huge song ‘My Immortal’ which Dayseeker covered earlier in the year. This is where Rory’s vocal capabilities go further than anyone could expect, making for a truly emotional experience.

As the set draws to a close, there's still time for one more song after much cheering from the crowd. Closing the set out with the hugely popular ‘Neon Grave’ brings the night to a close in the best way possible. It's been an exciting night of unique performances which will no doubt stand out as a huge achievement for all the bands involved but also a memorable night for all within the crowd who came down to witness this spectacle.