Holding Absence are a band that have intrigued me for quite a while now! I first became aware of them from a 2018 split they produced with fellow SharpTone Record label- mates Loathe, and admittedly, I wasn’t an immediate fan. The intro of their first track on the record interested me; but the vocals were a surprise…especially in contrast to Loathes! Although I grew to really enjoy their end of the split; I didn’t give Holding Absence a lot of thought for quite a while after. In fact, it wasn’t until their guitarist Feisal El-Khazragi left the band to join Loathe on bass that I once more took notice of them. Holding Absence were amidst recording their first full length album at the time, and El-Khazragi’s departure clearly affected their first major release; it felt disjointed, perhaps unfinished, but it was undeniably brimming with passion. Following yet more line-up changes, their 2021 release was more refined and well balanced, though its emo elements outweighed their post-rock and post-hardcore too much for me personally. Their 2023 album appears to represent a high-water mark among most of their fans, considered by many to be the bands strongest release to date. Tonight would be the first I would hear it!
I arrived to the venue shortly after the support act, alternative pop artist Lizzy Farrall, had taken the stage. She was undeniably a strange choice of support for the rock outfit, and as such, she didn’t initially impress the majority of those in attendance, myself included! With that said; her talent was immediately apparent, as was her seemingly effortless ability to engage with the crowd. She commanded the stage with an enigmatic aura, exuding a confidence and charisma that seemed to naturally draw an audience towards the stage. Although her music wasn’t to my personal taste; she appeared to win over quite a crowd by the end of her short set. As her last song came to an end, the venue had nearly filled, drink was flowing, and everyone was in high spirits!
Everyone except me, strangely! I found myself slightly apprehensive for Holding Absence’s set following Lizzy’s performance. As the stage was set up for the headliner, I considered the possibility that they themselves had transitioned to pop with their latest album; perhaps they wouldn’t play any of their early material, their set may not be to my taste either! I retreated to the beer garden for respite from the intense heat which now poured through the small venue as it flooded with more and more fans in the lead up to the main event; fully intending on enjoying the show from the comfort of a barstool. Then I heard the cheers of the crowd followed almost immediately by the intro to Like a Shadow from their first album; sung in chorus by their legion of fans who were now tightly packed into the venue and surging towards the stage. I couldn’t experience this from the outside, I had to be part of it! As their set continued, I recognised song after song, all of which were performed so faithfully to their recordings that I found myself pressing closer and closer to the stage in an effort to determine whether or not they were miming. False Dawn was the first song of the set I didn’t recognise; it was easily my favourite song of the set. Everything I had previously failed to appreciate in their sound just clicked in those three minutes and forty-eight seconds! The soft, subtle melodies of the instrumentation beautifully reflected the hesitant vulnerability in its opening lyrics while the wall of noise that follows and swells at its chorus perfectly punctuates the frustrated outpour at the centre of the songs hook. Vocalist Lucas Woodland absolutely blew me away. His energy, his emotion, the cleanliness of his soaring highs to the beautifully warm gravel he places on every one of his lows; his performance was powerful. At times his vocals reminded me of Charlie Simpson’s of Fightstar, at others, they reminded me of Hayley Williams of Paramore; I was genuinely amazed by his dexterity. Before I knew it, Woodland announced that they would be performing just three more songs, and I suddenly realised how little attention I had paid to the efforts of his
bandmates throughout the set thus far. A Crooked Melody, another new track, was the first of the three they played. The skills of drummer Ashley Green shine from the first beat of the song; so much so that I wondered how I had managed to overlook him until this point in the set! His playing was energetic, performative but beautifully measured; as if all of his fills and rolls were effortless to him. In the following song, fan favourite Afterlife, I focused on guitarist Scott Carey and bassist Benjamin Elliott. They too played so cleanly and effortlessly that I wondered had I underestimated the complexity of the material they had played throughout the set. The final song, The Angel in The Marble was a fitting finale; the final track of their latest album and once more, one of my favourite tracks in the set. Fans sang the many mantras which make up the songs verses in unison before cheering the band wholeheartedly as they slowly departed the stage. Hoarse voices uttered countless praises of the band’s performance and tear laden eyes stared longingly at the stage for minutes in the desperate hope that Woodland had lied about the possibility of an encore.
For those of us still left waiting; we’ll just have to hold out hope that Holding Absence will grace Dublin’s Grand Social yet again!
Lizzy Farrall photos:
Holding Absence photos & set-list:
Set-list:
Like a Shadow
Curse Me With Your Kiss
Gravity
Aching Longing
False Dawn
Scissors
Birdcage
In Circles
Coffin
A Crooked Melody
Afterlife
The Angel in the Marble
Reviewer – Joe Moran @iosaf_o_explosiff
Photos Carl Foran – @carlforanphotography