Live review: Euphonical Turnstile unapologetically prove why they’re adored in fiery UK exclusive
Euphonical Turnstile unapologetically proved why they’re adored in a fiery UK exclusive when they came to Yorkshire.
Baltimore’s hardcore instigators converted a historic courtyard into a euphoric blender of kinetic bodies and flailing arms for one night of pure rock heaven at Halifax’s Piece Hall.
Momentous live shows can be so eerily beautiful, and this one was certainly no exception, as you find yourself in a gorgeous, 18th-century West Yorkshire cloth hall, bracing yourself for the kind of kinetic, bone-rattling Baltimore punk that usually threatens the structural integrity of basement dive bars.
Yet Turnstile aren’t your average underground band anymore; they are double GRAMMY Award-winning, genre-mutating superstars and are very much above ground for their intimately raw outdoor performance.
As this Halifax show marks their only UK headline gig of the year, which neatly explains the tapestry of international accents floating around the queues and bars.
When tickets dropped back in early February, they evaporated in minutes, swallowed up by a devoted global fanbase desperate to catch the band in this 6,000-capacity architectural marvel.
London hardcore upstarts Dynamite were tasked with lighting the high-order fuse, and they did so with such chaotic glee.
Their frontman spent half the set trying to merge his DNA with the audience, executing a ferocious crowd surf that tragically claimed his hat as collateral damage.
It was a minor wardrobe casualty, but a small price to pay for whipping the Halifax crowd into a suitable frenzy of dramatic proportions.
As the dropping sun sets over the picturesque courtyard, the PA blasts out.
Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers. Naturally. A heartfelt playback of Islands In The Stream wafts over a sea of combat boots and vintage-clad sportswear, serving as a deeply ironic calm before the storm.
The second the legendary country-pop anthem fades, the peace The moment the legendary country-pop anthem fades, the peace shattered completely.
Turnstile detonated straight into Birds, Real Thing, and Endless, turning the historic stone square into a swirling, nauseating vortex of limbs and primal joy.
Over the next hour and change, the band delivered a masterclass in relentless momentum, pulling from a 16-year career. The setlist was a breathless sprint through their discography, touching on Nonstop Feeling, Time and Space, the stratospheric Glow On, and Never Enough.
Fan favourites like I Don’t Wanna Be Blind, Mystery, and Look Out For Me are sung back by the crowd with a ferocity that threatens to drown out the spirited frontman Brendan Yates.
Then comes the ultimate flexing of musical talents. The band, knowing exactly where they are, launched into a stunning, muscular cover of The Stone Roses’ iconic I Wanna Be Adored.
It’s a genius nod to the northern indie heritage, filtered ceremoniously through Baltimore distortion, and the 6,000-strong choir lapped up every single second of the renowned Madchester hymn.
By this point in the set, you would think the crowd would be running low on fumes by the curfew, but Turnstile demanded absolutely everything you had left in the tank.
The truly incendiary night ended histrionically with a four-song close that played like the greatest hits of modern hardcore cardio: Holiday, Blackout, Never Enough, and a blistering closer in the form of TLC (Turnstile Love Connection).
Sweaty, bruised, and beaming, the congregation spilt out into the beaten Yorkshire night. Turnstile has long proven that hardcore can be vibrant, inclusive, and transcendent. Tonight in Halifax, they proved it can confound history, too.