The wild! + Support Hanger 18 Swansea 9 Sept 2018

With winter approaching, it was no surprise that it was a stormy night in Swansea. The three acts on the bill were no strangers to us, but as we queued up outside, waiting for the doors to open, it became clear that some people had not seen or heard the support bands. This was our first visit to this venue, so it would be interesting to check out the facilities as well as the music!

Scarlet Rebels

First on the bill was Scarlet Rebels, who seemed to struggle to explain where they are from - the five members come from various parts of South Wales. Until recently, Scarlet Rebels had a different name, but people often couldn’t find them on social media. The new name has rejuvenated the band, with a record deal and some exposure they are doing well. They have a great sound and with the exuberant and well crafted guitar work of Chris Jones they show the early crowd what they can do. They are melodic and have beautifully crafted songs with multi level melodies, and give a great sound. We are treated to some new music and they are very well received by the crowd.

Scarlet Rebels are

Wayne Doyle Vocals/Guitar

Gary Doyle Drums

Wayne ‘P’ Edmonde Bass

Chris Jones Lead Guitar

Josh Townsend Guitar

http://www.scarletrebels.com/

https://www.facebook.com/scarletrebels

https://twitter.com/scarletrebels

Those Damn Crows

Fresh from their trip to HRH awards, the 5 piece hard rock band from Bridgend took their places. the venue had filled up considerably, which was unsurprising given the growing popularity of the band over the last few months. Beginning their set in the usual way with Don't Give a Damn everyone was drawn in towards the stage. We've seen The Crows many times, yet I remain surprised that they seem to grow in confidence, skill and talent with each show. They have added little nuances such as additional backing vocals and Shane's relaxed way give us the impression he is singing to each one of us personally. The intricate solos and pounding bass lines give the bands its uniques sound. They are musically brilliant, with songs that are well crafted and easy to listen to. As they get the crowd involved in their final song 'Rock 'n' Roll Ain't Dead' th small venue comes alive singing each word back to them. Once again, Those Damn Crows go above and beyond to entertain us.

The Wild!

The headline band are a 4 piece heavy rock band from Kelowna, BC. Its not often that Hanger 18 is the chosen South Wales venue for an international touring band. They are great showmen and have a polished stage show. Clearly enjoying the hospitality of the Welsh crowd, they sang and played their hearts out seemingly ignoring the gradual shrinking of the audience. They promised us a hard and heavy chunk of rock, and that is exactly what we had from this crazy Canadian band. We loved it.

The Wild! are:

Dylan Villain - lead guitar & vocals
The Kid - rhythm guitar
Lucas 'Boozus' - bass & vocals
Reese Lightning - drums

This was the first time we had been to Hanger 18 and we were pleasantly surprised. It is a good size - with a published capacity of over 300 and a well stocked bar.The only disappointment is that, in common with a number of small venues, they expect bands to play in in a dark fog.