“This is mental, I can’t even speak there’s that many of you” singer Arran Prime looks across the crowd in awe.
Crushed By Waves are a gritty, Alternative rock band consisting of four members, Arran Prime (Vocalist), Andy Hoskinson (Guitar), Dan Collict (Guitar) and Tom West (Drums). On May 11th they showed The Lions Den in Manchester how important their gigs are to them.
As the group waltz onto stage proudly waving to their fans, it’s obvious they are preparing to give it their all. Immediately, extreme passion and emotion bursts from every member especially Prime who can’t stand still, dancing across the stage. Each member has an incredible stage presence from interacting with the crowd to moving in time with the music, they never lower their energy. Even only a few songs in they pump sweat from the all-out strength put into the gig.
“are you still with us this is fucking insane!” Prime howls with thrill making fans go feral waving their arms in the air and screaming back at him. During ‘More To Life,’ a brave track depicting the value of living, Prime holds hands with an audience member in a intimate moment where they are face to face singing together.
Feeling every beat drop with leg kicks and hair flips, Prime announces “It’s about to get fucking heavy now” before launching into ‘Faces,’ a scratchy song with prominent drums. As West pounds the drums with such a loose grip on the sticks it looks like he’ll drop them at any moment but he never does. The drummer’s talent and power is incredible and noticeable throughout the whole set.
The bands contagious energy rubs off on the crowd, buying merch and making mosh pits, their engagement never ends. Throughout the gig they move closer and closer to the band till there’s a huge gap at the back of the venue. “Hands to the ceiling” Prime throws his hands up and the crowd copy him without a pause to think, like they know to do as he says. Nearing the end of the gig, Prime leaps off the stage and joins the fans in the mosh pit, not only experiencing the music with them but simply enjoying the action of the wild crowd.
It’s abundant how much touring means to Crushed By Waves. “This is everything to us, its fucking mind blowing” Prime says as they watch the crowd with teary eyes and non-stop thank them for coming. It’s beautiful that even if they aren’t playing massive stadiums the band are incredibly grateful for the connected community they’ve built.
