The Gigraphy Review - Thrown, Corporation Sheffield, 16/07/2023

Two short weeks ago, Gigraphy contributor and gig reviewer extraordinaire Nic Howells, also known as @nicgoesgigging, ventured down to his local venue of Corporation in Sheffield for what was set to be an absolutely electrifying hardcore show. Headlined by Thrown, a new outfit that has been taking the heavy scene by storm, supported by Graphic Nature, and featuring appearances from Cut Short and Spitting Teeth, there was plenty on offer that lovely Sheffield Sunday. Not just content with taking his new camera gadgets out for a spin, Nic has also provided us with his thoughts on the acts involved, so let's take a look at his words, and pictures, below!

Fans in Sheffield were treated to an especially drizzly scene as they waited for doors at Thrown’s recent Corporation show. The lineup on tap tonight was of exceptional quality for the South Yorkshire scene. This mini run of UK shows for the band has had company from the exceptional Graphic Nature, Cut Short & the green but mean Spitting Teeth.

Spitting Teeth

Playing only their 5th show as a unit, Spitting Teeth absolutely charge on stage with ‘Empathy’ to start a pounding setlist that could only be described as a Slipknot/Sepultura hybrid meets Malevolence. Joel Heywood on vocals is an incredibly imposing presence on stage, but also oozes gratitude to the near sellout crowd who have packed in early to catch them. Cracking a particularly memorable smile when he jumps down into the crowd, a crowd member sings the lyrics back to him, embracing them with one arm to have a crack at the tune together.

One thing is clear - whether the tunes are coming from from the five of them on stage, Joel in the crowd, or from the man himself absolutely bellowing their song ’Suffer’ on top of cabs at the side of the stage to finish the set, venues should be looking at this band with a “we’re gonna need a bigger boat” mentality. They took chunks out of Corp on this occasion. You can catch their latest release ‘NAILBOMB’ on Spotify, just play it loud for the best experience.

Cut Short

Following that stampede of riffs was the ‘it feels like they are everywhere’ band of 2023, Cut Short. One thing about Cut Short shows is that club venues are punching if they think they can keep up with the atmosphere CS have on tap. The lighting arrangement this band are lugging around sets a totally different mood to the rest of the bands on show, and could be a heavy hint to event teams that these guys need to be in a larger setting. Again, this show is all about atmosphere as far as what goes down on stage, and at this point they have comfier repertoire to fill a club setlist with. A personal favourite of mine is the Parkway Drive-esque ‘Human Error’ that really draws some energy in from the crowd.

2023 does seem primed to end as Cut Short's year - at time of writing they still have two headline dates in major cities to play. You can also catch them in a support slot with Confessions of a Traitor before them hitting up Newcastle for an August all dayer, playing third to Mimi Barks & Beauty School - an underrated UK trio if there ever was one. Their latest release ‘The Old Soul Dies Young’ is available on all platforms after releasing in January.

Graphic Nature

The final act to play before Thrown takes to the stage needs very little introduction, as they’d blown the doors off Corp by the time you could get into the details. The stage for Corporation seems a perfect fit for the group, with its darker aesthetic matching the band's intense visual scheme on a lot of materials. The little drum & bass samples between or at the start of songs like 'Sleepless', as well as Jack Bowdery absolutely battering the kit have that little southern UK edge to them that makes a case for Graphic Nature being one of the premier UK bands on the scene right now.

One of the key moments of every set is Harvey Freeman's poetic nature on the mic. He gave shout outs to any in the crowd who are neurodivergent, as well as a very poignant stance on Graphic Nature’s purpose as a band by asking anyone who is comfortable to (and calling out those who think its too cool to) put their hands up if they are suffering with mental health issues. For an upsetting visual, he asks anyone male presenting and suffering to keep their hands up, and a lot of the room is still very full. This speech is a staple of the GN set and something that makes the band a unit, the room a family, as he says that every person of every identity possible has a place here.

Thrown

Now onto Thrown, the headline act that has drawn sincere praise from all the other bands on the bill. Though Graphic Nature’s set was arguably the most energetic, this is where the room is at its most packed. There is a level of attitude, swagger, and almost nonchalance to the way they propel themselves on stage, so much so that you almost don’t expect them to sound like they do. Songs like ‘Fast Forward’ and ‘Grayout’ absolutely wreck shop on expectations, and the quality of the performance is one of the cleanest of the Summer so far. Thrown are nearly identical to how they sound on record. Frontman Marcus Lundqvist can only be described as a sniper's nightmare, as there is 0 halting his movement around the stage. The band approached the setup itself on the stage as particularly minimalist, meaning there is all the more space for the quartet make use of and thrash around.

This set also sees the second appearance of the evening for Conor Sweeney, where it's apparent how much his presence in the scene is missed. On vocal duties he carries an incredible intensity, whatever is next for him is absolutely worth keeping an eye out for. The band round out the set with key track ‘Parasite’ - if anyone is familiar with the phrase “hate to see them go, love to watch them leave”, in this case it has much more positive connotations. As saddened as the crowd are to see the end of the set, the room absolutely explodes during this track. Lundqvist absolutely roaring the line “what goes around comes around” seems very emblematic, as this is not the last the South Yorkshire scene will have seen of this quartet if the reception is anything to go by. There would be very few opportunities to see a lineup as stacked as this one at this level, and all the bands on stage have clear and ambitious trajectories in front of them. Corp has an exceptional history of having these lineups gracing the stage, and people still talk about certain shows that took place in these rooms. Words marked. This was one of them.