Saint Agnes
Special Guests: Crashface
Venue: FAC251, Manchester.
Date: 20th January 2024
Review By: Mark Young
If it’s not raining, it’s freezing. Making our way to FAC251 that is just off Oxford Road, it is the kind of place that can host any sort of gig. It’s small but perfectly formed, with practically no barrier between you and the artist.
Saint Agnes are touring in support of their 2023 release, Bloodsuckers. Manchester is the first night of the tour that takes up the length and breadth of the country. Tonight, there is one support, Crashface, and as they take to the stage the place is filling nicely.
Crashface
Observing an 8.00pm kick off, 4-piece Crashface detonate with a rapid set of songs that hit well with the crowd. With a musical style that takes in punk, metal and pop sensibilities, each of the songs are played to the max, samples dropping in but not overshadowing the band themselves. Apart from the cardinal sin of not introducing the members (appreciate that may seem cringe) each one of them knows the brief and execute it so well. Lead singer Charlie Hinton has a decent set of pipes on him and can go from metal to pop to screaming, all within the same breath. Musically, they are solid, all in a constant state of movement, using every inch of that stage as much as possible, and they are determined to have a good time with it.
Openers Scream and Tripwire blast over, warming up a frigid crowd, and they continue in this vein, the drumming is on point and hits you square in the chest, which is just what you want. They are treating this is as though it’s their gig and theirs alone and give C.h.a.i.n.s.a.w. a live debut with a request for audience participation and in all honesty, I think the crowd lets them down. They didn’t let it show, and they just upped their energy to make sure that they finished on a high point with Molotov Smile and then done and finished. Tight, focused and tasked with the unenviable task of warming up a cold crowd, they battered with 7 songs In quick hammer fashion and show that they will bring their chaos energy to anywhere and come out on top 
(4 / 5)
Saint Agnes
And now, Saint Agnes…
More Ambient noise and dry ice as we wait for Saint Agnes to take to the stage. And then…darkness with a sample repeating…cocksuckers must die…
Bloodsuckers kicks off, elastic and exciting riffing and with no disrespect to Crashface, but there is a step-up in performance, in intensity and Kitty A. Austen is just owning that stage. Everything going forward is just delivered so well, it’s tight, and they just know how to move and how to galvanise. Moving through their set, their songs are controlled but brutal and so well received by the crowd that has now warmed up to appreciate it.
There is a very special moment when Kitty introduces This is Not The End, dedicated to the memory of her mum, and performs it amongst the audience. It’s incredibly poignant and brave and shows a different, softer side to the band. The audience are respectful and make their appreciation known. Entering the home straight, they hit us again and again before Middle Finger wraps their main set up. There is a one song encore, Follow You. It’s heavy but so danceable, with balance and deft touches. They are constantly moving all the time, but all eyes are on Kitty. On the guitar she’s one thing, but with the mic it’s something else, a release of energy which pushes the band even further. On record, the music is ferocious, crossing genres at will. Live, it evolves further and hits harder. They are a class act live and based on the performance tonight, bigger venues must await them 
(5 / 5)
