Live Review + Gallery: Acres & Wayside at the Black Heart, London (17/10/26)

Acres were in town! Passing through the English capital on Saturday October 17th as part of their ‘The Host’ UK/EU headline tour. This run marks their first headline run in three years, and The Black Heart in Camden was suitably packed out to welcome them back.

Up first though, Wayside. Full of dreamy chords and Chino style moaned vocals, the band waste no time in showing their unique style of Deftones inspired shoegaze. Whilst a lot of this crowd might find themselves alienated with the lack of their octane core to slurp up – the Australian based group strike a nerve with me. As much as I’m known as the ‘tried and true’ hardcore kid of Grave Noise, I often find myself listening to Midwest emo and shoegaze, and Wayside are right up my street.

Drum grooves and bass lines ready at the waiting, Wayside keep the energy high – but not so high that you’re lacking for Acres. This is a well designed lineup with the headliner in mind. The high of their set underlined with a strong Deftones cover of ‘Be Quiet and Drive’. They fill out the room nicely with everyone raring and waiting for the mighty Acres.

Photo Gallery – Wayside

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Acres, known for their djent driven style of shoegaze dripped metalcore get right to it with their huge opener ‘Not So Different.’ Mixed with deafening kicks and snare bombs, they immediately get things moving.

Throughout the set they swap between their more gaze-forward tracks and their more classic tried and true metalcore sound. Whilst I think they’re a talented band, it’s not truly my thing all in all. However, nobody can really complain about breakdowns.

If these bands continue on the way they are I’m sure they’re aiming to be the next big thing in no time.

Photo Gallery – Acres

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