The FudBlog: As Living Arrows

Tuesday, April 21, 2026

STRANGEFORMS FESTIVAL, DAY 1, BRUDENELL SOCIAL CLUB, LEEDS, APRIL 18 2026

We're back in Leeds for the 11th StrangeForms festival. Of course we are.

Line-up:

BIRDWITCH: Off to a grand start with these folks, Norwich based - but partly from Scotland - doomgazers. Rousing stuff, and a big voice from such a slight figure of a singer. Draw a good sized crowd, which is nice for an opening act.

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/EqdaMY3n0Ww https://www.facebook.com/Birdwitch

LAST OF EDEN(L.O.E.): Hefty post-rock. First band of the weekend to have a member join the crowd. There isn't a video for this, because I fucked up somehow. I have video, and I have audio, but they don't match. Which is annoying, because they were more than decent. But barely visible.

https://www.facebook.com/weareloemusic

AS LIVING ARROWS: The first band (of only 4) of the weekend that I've seen before, and happy to see them again. Chunky post-emo-screamo-metal

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/72Ia7XWHpyo https://www.facebook.com/aslivingarrows.band

FORLORN: Self-described as 'Midsommar metal', stirring stuff with songs of paganism, mythology and folk horror. From that leafy green centre of mysticism, London.

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/BHOogmZVIO8 https://www.facebook.com/weareallforlorn

GOD ALONE: Ridiculously skilful explosive dance-math from Cork, and the second of my previously-seen bands. I STILL have no idea how they do it. Inevitably, some of them end up in the crowd.

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/ai3P4WSGELs https://www.facebook.com/godalonecork

COLOSSAL SQUID: Drummer/producer Adam Betts in his squid costume. Gets off to a false start with his computer acting 'like a twat'. Sound cards don't like excessive vibration, apparently. Once sorted, he batters several shades of shit out of his kit and is enormously entertaining. Previously seen act #3.

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/iH1pE40UyBI https://www.facebook.com/colossalsquidmusic1

KNIVES: Blistering punk noise. With a saxophone. And a very turbulent crowd.

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/moxXO_aiY9Y https://www.facebook.com/knivesnoise

MERYL STREEK: Irish 'council house lad' raging against injustice and the cruelty of modern society with a soap-box, a laptop and a flashing torch. Entertainment or education? Why not both? Something to think about on the way home from the show.

VIDEO: https://www.facebook.com/merylstreek

Thursday, October 19, 2023

PLEIADES, LEGENDS, EDINBURGH, OCTOBER 15 2023

Gig 2 of the weekend. Emo/screamo Post-hardcore, post-metal and witchy doom. No black metal.

Sorry it's taken so long to get this posted, but power supply and internet conditions have been less than ideal for the last few days.

Line-up:

CWFEN: The above-mentioned witchy doom, from that there Glasgow, playing their first Edinburgh gig. Last time I saw them, they were playing in somewhat inappropriate bright daylight. This time...

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/8zpKmcpJ8vU https://www.facebook.com/Cwfenband

VOID OF LIGHT: FudBlog favourite smoke-loving post-metal titans. This gig is extra exciting, because they will play TWO NEW SONGS. Want to see/hear them both? Then set aside twenty-one minutes of your day and watch the video.

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/UUSxQEwNoh8 https://www.facebook.com/voidoflightband

AS LIVING ARROWS: Emo/Screamo/Post-metal from somewhere in the UK (Birmingham, apparently. Apart from Tim, who's from Woking.) These lads used to be called 'DEAD BIRD'. When they were Dead Bird they were dead good. Now that they're As Living Arrows, they're still dead good.

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/JGODi0r2Er4 https://www.facebook.com/aslivingarrows.band

I'm guessing their name is derived from the quote from the Khalil Gibran poem 'You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth' but I might be wrong. Bet I'm not, though.

PLEIADES: A collision of post hardcore and post-metal from Manchester. The only band tonight I've never seen before. Very nearly didn't see much of them tonight, either, as something blew up and killed the power for ALL of the amps during their first song. Sound engineer extraordinaire Deano sorted everything, probably with a hammer and some gaffa tape, and all was well. Which was a VERY GOOD THING, as they were immense fun.