Words: Lex Winterbottom Imagery: Jack Norris
Following their first single release since their 2024 Reunion, Mallory Knox graced us with an incredible intimate show at Manchester’s Deaf Institute. This sold out show gave us everything that we needed, old memories, high energy and a live debut of their newest single Afterglow giving us the big stage presence we know and love in a more personal setting.
Opening the show was London grungecore’s Paradise fell. These guys had great crowd reactions from the very song in their set to the last. Lead vocalist Matty Bankhurst was incredible throughout with his raw melodic rasp matching the raw emotional themes in songs such as ‘honest.’. Opening for a band with such a defined, well known sound is not an easy task and these guys took it head on and gave it all they had, by the end of their set the whole room was hooked and ready for the main event. Definitely a band to watch going forward.
Mallory Knox truly went back to their roots for this show. The core members, Mikey Chapman on vocals, Dave Rawlings on drums and James Gillet on guitar reunited in 2024 and have blessed us with new music after 9 long years. From starting off in Cambridge 2009 at 19 to playing the Deaf Institute tonight at age 36, frontman, Mikey Chapman, was spot on when he said he feels like they’ve only gotten better throughout the years “like a strong cheese… or a fine wine maybe? Or whiskey.”
Starting off strong as hell with Ghost in the Mirror, the crowd was immediately immersed. Everybody that was able to were on their feet bouncing along. And the energy only got higher.
Following on with a golden oldie from their debut album Signals, Beggars had the pit opened right up, or as Mikey called it “the girly pit” because the women of this gig were the first to open it and they were not holding back! The band used this pit to their full advantage to interact with the crowd and make it feel like a properly intimate moment, stopping songs before the end and getting the pits going before playing the last few bars sent the crowd wild and only heightened the excitement in the room because it wasn’t just a concert anymore, it felt like a conversation. A private game just between us and them where both sides were the winner.
The band kept to the early days following on with Getaway, Dying to Survive and Death Rattle before slowing it down a bit with When Are We Waking Up? Although it isn’t exactly a slow song the whole room was captivated, as if you could close your eyes and everything would melt away into the heartfelt performance.
With a seamless transition the floor was moving under our feet again to Wake Up with an energy level that caffeine couldn’t even beat. We then were transported right back to the beginning with Oceans, QOD and Resuscitate from their debut EP, Pilots and the room again did not fail to sing along with every single word not even missing a beat when 2017s Sugar was brought into the mix.
We then come to the part of the show we’ve all been waiting for, the live debut of Afterglow. With Dave’s crisp rhythm patterns on the drums, James’s gritty chord progression on guitars and the raw emotional bass lines we all know and love, this debut did not disappoint and although the single was released 6 days ago there wasn’t a soul in the room that didn’t sing along.
And although not least, the last songs of the set took us back to Asymmetry again with Lonely Hours and Shout at the Moon which of course kept the energy up and left the crowd wanting more…
And more they got! As drummer, Dave Rawlings, returned to the stage to keep the energy and intimacy up playing sound games with the crowd to get us all geared up and excited for the encore.
For the encore we had a perfect juxtaposition of new and old Mallory Knox as they came back in with Better Off Without You from 2017s Wired and ended a truly nostalgic night with Lighthouse, true classic from 2013s Signals that hold such a special place in so many of our hearts.
Mallory Knox have been a Lighthouse to so many of us throughout the years and seeing them releasing new music and having such a good time playing together again and reconnecting with their fans was an absolute pleasure to watch.
5/5 STARS
This gig was a trip down memory lane and a look into the future all at once.
WORDS: Lex Winterbottom
IMAGES: Jack Norris @jackstagemedia
Review: Mallory Knox @ Deaf Institute Manchester