Chaos Theory: Ruby Blue Reviews - Die Tonight.
Going into this gig, I was expecting high energy and pure chaos, and yet I was still surprised in the best ways possible. Honestly, Kazimier Stockroom isn't one of my favourite venues, purely because of how hot it gets inside. However, the grittiness of this venue was the perfect setting for Die Tonight's debut headline show in Liverpool.
The night started off with the support act mokk.me. I have seen many great support acts in my time, but I don't think I've ever seen a support act get the energy to the dizzying heights they did. They describe themselves as "trashy", "hard", "party" and they definitely exceeded that description. One thing you instantly clock with mokk.me is the Y2K futuristic aesthetic, with hints of scene kid. Their music would not sound out of place on one of the classic PS1 fighting games, such as Tekken. Their aesthetic and sound go hand in hand beautifully with one another: dark, filthy, and downright sexy. They complimented Die Tonight perfectly because when you have a high energy headline act, a high energy support act is the cherry on top. mokk.me are a duo that will be taking the scene by storm, no doubt, because they not only know who they are and who their target audience is, but I can see them having an exciting evolution. Unfortunately, I didn't get any photos because I was far too busy dancing, like everyone else in the packed out room.
Die Tonight burst onto stage in the most apt way possible, with lead singer Dean Carne using a bullhorn. If you saw Dean and his brother Jay's old band, Generation, you would expect those antics and energy. However, they somehow upped the ante on all fronts. Their self-titled single was their opening song and they couldn't have chosen a better song for those who both know them and those experiencing them for the first time. This song is not only heavy, it oozes sex appeal. Throughout the set you can hear the influences of Nine Inch Nails and Deftones, and they play into these influences beautifully. A prime example of this is their debut single "Shrine Song". It is a song that is perfect for the strip club, and hearing it live, it did not disappoint.
It wasn't just songs for the strip club, though. There were plenty of opportunities to be in the pit, with Dean also getting involved more than once. "Illusion" was another highlight because the way the song was introduced, it was something everyone in that room would most likely feel. The world is burning around us, but being in a small sweaty room with around 100 people who are all there for the same reason – these are the moments you need to hold onto.
The gig was meant to end on the song "Sin For Me", which I am very much looking forward to hearing a release of, with Dean stage-diving and essentially being carried around the room. However, due to popular demand, the gig didn't end there, and for the encore we went back to the beginning with "Die Tonight". It felt like a fitting end to a chaotic gig.
To round off, this gig could have been perceived as a gamble for the band because starting again is always that. However, this paid off massively. The energy felt brand new, and nothing was holding them back. Also, as a fashion designer who believes aesthetics and music go hand in hand, you can see there is a strong sense of identity by just looking at the band. Everything has fallen into place both sonically and visually. I cannot wait to see them grow as a band and get the recognition they deserve.