Live Review

Turnstile bring hardcore's next generation to life at London’s Alexandra Palace

Heavy music is more popular than ever, but a vast majority of recent successes have been from legacy bands of the 90s and 00s, reaching new heights – Limp Bizkit announced as Download headliners, System Of A Down playing stadiums, and countless anniversary tours. Sure, it’s nice to see legends getting their overdue flowers, but it doesn’t leave much space for the next generation to bloom. Thankfully, Turnstile, with their progressive take on hardcore, are all about pushing the scene into new spaces.

Words:Dork

Photos:Lorna Leahy

It’s perhaps why the mood inside Alexandra Palace is so electric, long before the Baltimore mob take to the stage on Wednesday night. And when they do launch into ‘NEVER ENOUGH’, a soaring promise to keep striving for more that’s roared back by every member of the sold-out crowd, the place erupts. It’s quickly followed up by the snarling ‘T.L.C. (Turnstile Love Connection)’, which champions the sort of self-expression that defines this blistering 90-minute set with its gruff hook “I want to thank you for letting me be myself”. Down the front, fans mosh to scrappy, hardcore throwbacks ‘Keep It Moving’ and ‘Pushing Me Away’ while there’s plenty of ass-shaking at the back of the venue for breakout ‘GLOW ON’ hits ‘HOLIDAY’ and ‘MYSTERY’.

It’s the songs from new album ‘NEVER ENOUGH’ that really make the most sense, though. Aggressive but playful. Mean yet optimistic. Ferocious but still incredibly poppy, there’s no other band doing it like Turnstile. A mash-up of ‘I CARE’ and ‘DULL’ is dreamy without losing any of the band’s urgency, the euphoric hammer of ‘SEEIN’ STARS’ makes use of a giant disco ball, while the scuzzy ‘LIGHT DESIGN’ sounds both polished and unhinged. The same can be said about the band’s unrelenting onstage energy, while a giant video screen broadcasting the sheer chaos of the front rows dials up the intensity and sense of togetherness even further. Of course, there’s a stage invasion for the closing riot of ‘BIRDS’.

There’s not much in the way of chat to mark this massive headliner or acknowledge just how influential the band has become in recent years, with Turnstile letting the music do all the talking instead. Still, if you want proof there’s a future for heavy music, this is it. Nostalgia be damned.