A Vended show is a guaranteed sweatpit, but that hasn’t deterred fans from packing out Rebellion on a warm summer evening. A large part of the band’s draw is their sons-of-Slipknot status, thanks to frontman Griffin Taylor and drummer Simon Crahan – and it’s not like they’re in any rush to disown their heritage. As they take to the stage, there’s no mistaking those family ties. Griffin has swapped a mask for thick layers of blue body paint while bassist Jeremiah Pugh sports a muzzle, and opener Ded To Me and the possibly knowingly titled Bloodline are stuffed full of Slipknot’s sonic DNA. But all doubts about whether Vended can step out of their parental shadows are soon snuffed out. Griffin exudes his own maniacal charm; when he twitches his head sideways and stares you down, commanding you to “GET IN THE GODDAMN PIT”, it’s terrifyingly thrilling. The set is equally as menacing, an onslaught of abrasive breakdowns and blastbeats that turn the moshpit feral. The band are left sweaty, smeared and raw, and the crowd eats it up. Beyond the spectacle, Vended’s sound is strong enough in its own right.
CHERI FAULKNER