Words and Photos by Dave Martin/Faversham Photography
It has been over 20 years since I first encountered the music of melodic metallers InMe. As with many of my generation music television was our gateway to new music at that time and from first watch I was hooked. I purchased debut album and played it on loop. The distinctive vocals of Dave McPherson and the catchy riffs had me enthralled from day one. It was fantastic to see them perform at the intimate Booking Hall, a venue where you can get up close to the stage and there is always a strong gathering of friendly people who love their music.
Supporting InMe were charismatic Rap Metal artists Crostpaths. Thei banner on stage read “Crostpaths, Probably the worst band in the world” in the style of the old Carlsberg add. I’ve seen the group perform several times and they always put on an entertaining show and on seeing them take to the stage it reminded me of their previous performance at the venue where singer Richie Murray crowd surfed from the stage to the back of the venue. The group dressed in their usual bold and eclectic attire started the set with pounding track “Bull Dozer”. The heavy drums in the intro set the tone for the rest of the performance, with the group delivering an energetic performance as they always do. The band then proceeded to hip-hop heavy song “Echolalia”. With it’s melodic chorus it had the audience tapping along. The guitar solo combined with the other elements within the track demonstrated the bands diverse influences that combine seamlessly. The full setlist further demonstrated the groups’ ability to incorporate a variety of styles into their music. Throughout the band interacted well with those gathered. During “Rampage” guitarist Ross Turbin broke a string and after a quick change, Bassist Owain Lewis encourage the crowd to mock Edwards which the crowd did with good humour. Overall a very entertaining set. The band are still in the running for the Metal 2 The Masses competition and are also hoping to be selected to perform at the Pride Rock festival in Brighton and we wish them the best of luck.
Tracklist 1. Bulldozer, 2. Echolalia, 3. Hiding in Plain Sight, 4. I am the Liquor, 5. Nostalgia, 6. Cookie Cutter, 7. Rampage, 8. Meridian, 9. Shapeshifter
The headline act took to the stage to a warm applause from those in attendance, some of which have seen the band several hundreds of times demonstrating the commitment of the group’s fan base. The band kicked off proceedings with nostalgic “Underdose” their first single from debut album “Overgrown Eden” The 2002 track had the crowd hooked from the very beginning, with many singing the entire track with the band leading to lead singer Dave McPhearson asking them if they want to be in the band before launching into their second track from their inaugural studio release “Firefly”. The audience committed to their audition and were audible over the PA system due to the passion with which they were singing. The band even played the quieter chorus twice so those gathered could join in. At the end of song Dave simply says “You are in the Band”.
Dave announces that the band have new music coming out called “Daemons”. The crowd funded album focusses on the issues Dave had before he got sober two years ago and the group then performed “Confessions” one of the first ones written in the early stages of sobriety.
The set continued to weave between the old and the new. Next year marks the 30 year anniversary of the formation of the band. Only one original member remains but there has been no let up in the raw emotion of the music. The band played their biggest hits but also some “B-Sides”. Dave recounted how he had wanted “Ruins” to be on the initial album but he was overruled and it was cut. The track written in his bedroom at the age of 15 was well received and marked the end of the reflective part of the set as McPherson described it.
The group announced 3 songs left and that they don’t believe in doing encores choosing rather to just play through before performing “So You Know” from second album “White Butterfly” another staple on my playlist from the 2000s. By this stage the crowd were in full voice which clearly moved the band on stage. Dave could be seen first bumping fans because of their passion. The band finished with most popular track “Faster the Chase”. The over twenty year wait to see these songs live did not disappoint and I was delighted to get to belt out these songs in a room full of people who appreciated the band as much as I have. Hopefully it won’t take another long stint before watching the group again and any of you reading this I’d encourage you to see the band when they are in a venue near you.
If you would help the band crow fund their new album please follow this link:
1. Underdose, 2. Safe in A Room, 3. Firefly, 4. Cracking the Whip, 5. Reverie Shores, 6. Confession, 7. Lava Twilight, 8. 7 Weeks, 8. Secret Superpower, 9. Crushed Like Fruit, 10. For Something to Happen, 11. All Terrain Vehicle, 12. Wreckage, 13. Ruins, 14. So You Know, 15. Neptune, 16. Faster the Chase
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