Uberbyte + Alterred + Kommand+Kontrol

Legends, Newcastle

Having supported just about every medium sized industrial act in the UK, from Grendel to Combichrist to Covenant, there always had to become a time where Uberbyte could push up and headline within their own right.  Is now the right time?

Before we find that answer, there is the matter of opening acts to contend with, the bands who themselves will be looking to push on in their careers.  First up are Kommand+Kontrol.  Tonight they're playing as a duo, an electro-dominated set as their guitarist could not make it.

The combination of deep, dark, gritty beats and a moody stomp appeals to the modest crowd who've come to check out an unfamiliar act.  The performance is as sharp as their suits; they've certainly picked up some new friends tonight.

Technical difficulties plague Alterred's set which means they end up working even harder to reach a crowd that was hoping for a bit more stomp.  Perhaps in between K+K and Uberbyte the artistic and minimal electro of Alterred didn't quite fit.  Their songs are well crafted and the stage performance with the human-dolls is all very clever but it really was a great performance to the wrong crowd.  A high point, however, was the up-tempo 'Nothing Less than Violence' - which probably further supported that people here wanted something to dance to tonight.

It's a respectable crowd for Uberbyte tonight, not quite enough to secure the main room for the show - but the advantages of Legends side room is that it's tight and compact and a good performance results in a good atmosphere.

To give an idea of the performance, the atmosphere is roasting.

They also began the set with technical problems, there was no lead synth for half of opening track 'We Are the Dead' but that seems to be accommodated by the crowd humming their own line at the appropriate points.

They're now on to four albums, which gives them a good choice of tracks to play, however this doesn't stop them previewing new tracks!  That is something about Uberbyte, they're always 'fresh' because they're forever writing new tracks in order to progress the band.  Although some of the newer tracks do contain more influences from the dance scene, within the live arena they've still got the malice and the thump to drill home they're an alternative band. Of course, they are now open to cross-genre appeal.

Tracks like 'Gott Mit Oontz' and 'Sheffield's Finest' give you a good idea on where they're going, unafraid to mix in elements of hardstyle and gabba; although older tracks like 'The Miracle' and 'Stand Up' remain key live favourites and show where they've been.  So the core industrial Suicide Commando/Combichrist influences have merged quite quickly as the band seeks their own identity.

As always the set concludes with 'Money Shot' - a track as brilliant as it is silly.  Proving that they don't take themselves all that serious, all of the time, as they fling around inflatable sex dolls during the lively romp.

Uberbyte make a good rise to headliner, whilst it's not quite Combichrist-style numbers in the crowd, it's still a respectable turnout for one of the UK's hottest industrial acts.

Kevin Morris

Image taken from York show.