The Dead Presleys, NeonFly and The Morning After at Vault, Rugby 18/3/12

The Dead Presleys are a band from Rugby who have only been around since 2011, but they are already known for being a fun and exciting live band. The fast punk riffs and loud vocals were enjoyable to listen to, and all of the members seemed to be having a great time, just like the crowd. ‘Run Away Baby’ was brilliantly performed and their raw talent is obvious to anyone who has the pleasure to watch them live. The Dead Presleys are frequent performers at The Vault, but hopefully they will be playing a venue near you soon. 

London band NeonFly were next on stage, and they definitely did not disappoint anyone’s expectations. Their lead singer, Willy Norton was very enthusiastic about his performance and his vocals matched this. NeonFly’s harmonic influences create a very unique-sounding metal band, and the fast-paced riffs match this perfectly. Their bassist, Paul Miller, is very talented and his fast playing-style is very impressive. NeonFly’s incredible live performance proved that metal can still be unique and exciting, and that metal will never truly die. Their album, ‘Outshine The Sun’ is a very exceptional album, which will hopefully get them far in the music scene. 

As soon as The Morning After arrived on stage, it was immediately apparent that they had glam metal influences and that they were going to really rock Rugby. The lead singer, Sam Ryder, has an incredibly melodic voice, which appeals to not only those who love metal, but also those who like the lighter side of rock. He managed to engage the crowd with the performance, even getting a member of the audience to hold his guitar for him. Every song sounded different, adding to their unique style and everyone in the crowd were moving along to the music. The catchy chorus of ‘America’ was an instant crowd-pleaser; ‘I couldn’t forget you if I tried’ was an appropriate lyric, as they are an incredible live band who gave an unforgettable performance. The Morning After have raised the standard of the bands who perform at The Vault, helping to put Rugby on the scene for amazing live music. And I was definitely still singing the songs the morning after seeing them!