Spyder Byte ‘The Taste of Filth’ EP Launch Party

Poco Loco was absolutely filthy in Chatham on Saturday night!

It was tremendous to see everyone come out to support the release of the new EP from Spyder Byte, a local Kent-based band with a penchant for party atmosphere, post hair metal mayhem and all-around energetic live shows. This time they were supported by Prymå and Black Roze, who also know how to engage an audience and spur on a bombastic crowd.

Despite undesired delays to the schedule and various technical issues during the show, Spyder Byte still managed to bring about the ‘filth’ through a spectacular set full of classics, injected with their new material. If you missed it – you sure missed out!

The night began with the local legends Black Roze. If you looked from a distance, you may mistake the lead guitarist for Guns N’ Roses’ Duff McKagan. However this was Baz Roze, the powerhouse guitarist for the band, alongside his charismatic frontwoman Viixen and mighty rhythm brothers of Steve Rankin on bass and Vic Finch on drums. The band formed in 2017 and have amassed a significant following in a short space of time, already boasting slots at Hard Rock Café, London as well both O2 Academies in London and Sheffield. They were hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, so in theory they have only been going properly for a few years – an achievement indeed!

It quickly became clear why, as they launched into their first song with fiery passion. Viixen showcased why she is a force to be reckoned with, sporting gorgeous white dreads and a top that humbly said: ‘I’m in the band.’ Throughout the set she was a vocal powerhouse, with a voice as strong and projecting as a female fox’s call. Baz’s guitar solos were fast and furious and always exciting to hear. The boys on rhythm duties completed the sound, solid as a rock and always on time – showing that age is but a number.

One by one they went through their songs, every one concluding with a killer big finish, including a vamped up version of Eurythmics’ hit ‘Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This).’ The legendary Lennox is a tough one to emulate, but Viixen was up for the challenge and their version got the crowd happily singing. Half way through she disappeared for a changeover, returning to the stage in what looked like a bloodied gown; the song starting with a long, soft intro and her announcing it was about “surviving.” She adopted a more reserved persona during the song, reflecting the melancholy of the lyrics.

This contrasted heavily with the final song in the set, which was a raunchy cover of Nancy Sinatra’s ‘These Boots Are Made For Walkin’,’ where she donned a policeman’s hat and strutted her stuff on stage, even able to go down into the crowd thanks to her wireless microphone. Accompanying the look was her whip, which she gently lashed at people as she nailed the act that made the song so infamous in the 60’s. A few big finishes towards the end and they were done.

Then it was time for Prymå.

To say that Prymå is a contender for best young upcoming heavy band in Kent might be exactly the sought description – or it may be an understatement. A few people were wearing Prymå shirts, including the sound engineer. They had already made an impact locally it seemed.

The set up took a while, which nulled the vibe of the night slightly. Some were starting to get a bit tired, what with the schedule already being pushed back. But once they started, the lethargy was immediately gone. For this band didn’t just stoke the fire; they poured ten gallons of petrol on it and combusted it with a blowtorch. Whether it was the massive, explosive drumming from Dom Smith, the gigantic and tight bass of Anthony Durrant, the soloing extravaganza of Max Raven, or the impeccably in-tune pipes of Gabrielle George , they were a tidal storm of chunky tones, sludgy riffs and incredible chops.

Every song was hit after hit, so much so that no one wanted it to stop. Each succeeding song drawing a bigger and bigger reaction from the crowd – a perfect sonic progression of epic proportions and exactly how a setlist should go. They clearly had a very simple goal: to blow everyone’s minds – which they certainly did. What remained of the nullification of the crowd during the break was well and truly blown away with hurricane force winds, which Max must have produced considering how fast he was shredding with his axe.

And then there was the singer, Gabrielle.

It can sometimes be hard being female in the metal scene, where it is overwhelmed by guys, but those who are, are often very resilient and genuine. This vocalist would put many of her male counterparts to absolute shame. Arguably one of the best female singers in the entirety of Kent (along with Viixen of course!) she has nothing to prove and everything to show. Not a single note was off-key, her long notes being incredibly rewarding as they sat in perfect harmony with the instrumental; all being complimented by her impressive range and knack for melisma and natural ability at interacting with the crowd.

In summary: this is a tour de force of heavy music that will leave your jaw on the floor. They may be small, but I doubt that it will be for long as they work their way up the Bloodstock roster, having already played the Jager Stage. Keep both eyes well and truly peeled for this band’s next dates!

Before it was time for the hosts to grace the stage, Olivia Nuclear Bomb made her appearance. Suddenly the crowd was transported to the culture of places like Las Vegas, where the unapologetically sex-fuelled moves of the dancers will have your eyes popping out of your head. This was rock n’ roll 101, and anybody in the way of this lioness was met with her confidence and prowess as an entertainer. The whole venue was her playground and she used every inch of it.

Then, finally, it was time for the long-awaited filth.

Stage set up – sporting pink lights and EP-themed roller banners, they didn’t let the small stage cause a small performance. They launched gigantically straight into the first track of their new EP: ‘Front of the Pack.’ The audience, having been fired up by the previous acts, were enthralled straight away and dancing and headbanging to the fresh material. Vocalist Dan Lawrence encountered some issues with the microphone towards the end of the song, but professionalism kicked in as the band continued without missing a beat whilst he jived to the music, not looking out of place whatsoever. The sound engineer promptly rectified the issue, by which time the opener had finished. All was well again.

Good thing too, because their next song was ‘In Your Face,’ from their first album ‘Addictive’ in 2015, where Dan actually came down from the stage and got in the faces of his loyal audience. A perfectly complimentary and intimate moment with the crowd that really broke the ice. It was at this point that new listeners may have realised that this singer had unlimited gusto to his voice, very much sounding like a modern Bon Scott as he channelled the power of rock.

Afterwards was ‘On Time,’ also from the same album which kept the energy going. They moved on to ‘Nocturnal Beauty’ from their second album ‘When the Lights Go Out,’ and through all of these the spirit didn’t wane once, drummer Connor Godfrey and bassist Nathan Hammond holding down a potent rhythm, bringing the awesomeness and showing their monstrous chops whilst guitarist Steven Speck showed why he is a worthy successor to legends like Slash, effortlessly soloing whilst holding the guitar stylishly upright.

Next up was ‘Crash 22,’ third track from the new release. What can only be described as a groovy-licious rocker, it made everyone want to dance with its simple beat and syncopated riffs that was well received by the audience. The crowd was really starting to get fired up and feeling like they were in a time gone by at this point. Not a single person in the house wasn’t moving.

After Crash 22 was ‘Hopeless,’ featuring some of the most earth-breaking double kick drumming from Godfrey – so strong it surely registered on the Richter scale. After Hopeless was yet another stomper from the new record: ‘Hooked.’ Prompted by singer Dan to engage in some great call and response, he had the crowd in the palm of his hands by chanting some of the backing vocals and having the audience chant back. They then launched fully into the song and the context was made very clear.

‘Vixen’ was next, and the classic ‘Spyder Byte’ shirt-wearing blow up doll was brought out by Dan – a staple of their shows. First showing Spyder Byte’s wicked sense of humour, he caressed her as if she were a loved one before launching her into the crowd where she was chucked around, finding herself returning to the singer’s possession numerous times, where he would then throw her back out. The chemistry between those performing and those spectating was incredible and shows why the band are one of the premium local acts to follow. After a good throwing about, the doll was retired for the rest of the show. The band then played ‘Love Bomb Ticking’ – probably one of their oldest tunes dating all the way back to 2013.

It was at this point in the show that they welcomed “Spyder Byte alumni” Luke Naylar, who was a former guitarist with the band, and the hyped crowd went wild for his entrance. They then went into ‘Shameless Star.’ The chemistry was still very much present between them all, and Luke and Steven seemed very at ease playing together, uncompetitive and synchronous.

At one point, bassist Nathan Hammond’s microphone escaped the clutches of the stand’s clip and began dangling whilst he was singing. Unphased, his stomping bass didn’t falter one note whilst a few of the audience members helped put it right, likely earning the respect of the band. Thankfully there were no more technological mishaps for the rest of the night, but it continued to the show the pure professionalism and appreciation the band has towards their hard-earned fans, and in return their willingness to help bring about a smooth and memorable show.

Nevertheless, the song was a raging success and the raucous crowd got a tasty treat of the past. Luke humbly left the stage to allow the band to do the rest of their set.

The band was approaching the end now, but the energy was still very much alive. If anybody was flagging, all they needed was a spark. And that’s exactly what they got, as the band went into their song ‘Spark.’ On their second album from 2019, Spark has since become a crowd favourite and its performance always goes down well with its immensely catchy chorus which lends itself as an earworm long after it has been played. The 2021 single ‘Double Dose’ followed this, but still the crowd had not heard their favourite.

Before they could, however, it was time to play the last song from their EP, also being the final track on it: ‘Home Is Where the Heart Don’t Hurt,’ This one is potential chart material, being probably the most straightforward and providing a simple chorus with tremendous singing factor, also clocking in at around three minutes in length. The night had been an unequivocal success so far, the EP hopefully soon in the hands of a lot of people, many T-shirts already being worn and all the tracks from the EP run through, it was time for one more.

They went into their classic ‘Black Velvet Love,’ their most well-known song and local hit. Sweaty, tired and filthy, they gave all their efforts to this final banger and played it with the same energy they did from the start. Dan activated a confetti cannon and before you knew it the floor was covered with colour. Once it was over, they announced it was their final song. However the audience had a different idea and demanded an encore, to which the band responded faithfully and exploded into a cover of Mötley Crüe’s immortal classic ‘Kickstart My Heart.’ The place was a sight to behold as everybody moshed, danced and sang in unison to their heritage, Olivia Nuclear Bomb returning with colleagues to crank up the heat.

Then it was done. A photo with the crowd, the customary plugging of the merch and a massive “thank you” to everyone in attendance. The band were then seen mingling with all their fans in true rock star fashion.

The party was wild, all the acts fuelled the craziness of the booze-filled chaos and the crowd turnout made it one of the best EP launches for a very long time and proved that rock n’ roll isn’t dead in the hearts of the people. Black Roze, Prymå and Spyder Byte have certainly set the benchmark for performances to come and Poco Loco had one of its best nights of 2023.

Congratulations to Spyder Byte for a success release!