SKIP THE USE AT LA BELLE ELECTRIQUE IN GRENOBLE
Skip the Use is currently touring in France for their fourth album, Past & Future. The two main members of the band came back together in 2019 after 3 years of separation. With a new line-up, they embarked for a full tour of the country. They stopped at La Belle Electrique in Grenoble last week for a sold out show. Tickets had been sold out months before, and it was going to be an explosive show.
Opening for Skip the Use that night was the local band, As A New Revolt. Their musical genre is really hard to label, as they brilliantly combine virulent hip hop, hardcore punk, rock and electro. The duo (singer & drummer) radiated energy on stage, jumped everywhere (even on the amp), and poured lines of lyrics with a perfect flow. They displayed a small sample of their album TxRx during the 30 minutes of their burning set.
After a quick change of equipment, Skip the Use went on stage on Lead or Follow. More than half of the setlist was dedicated to their new album Past & Future that night, a supplementary hint that Skip the Use entered a second era, after these 3 years of break. Musically, the electro-rock-hip hop from the beginning slowly transitioned to an electro-pop that fit the current popular type of music. Several tracks are made for big stages, such as “Damn Cool” with the “Oooh, Ooooh” of the chorus that is beautiful moment for a sing along.
Mat Bastard, the singer, is a natural showman and proved it on stage. He joked with nearly everyone in the venue, picking on one of the guys on their technical team as well as several spectators (old and young) to introduce the following song with a small story. Even if their new material is less appealing (to me), their live performances are still very impressive and enjoyable. That’s the most important to me.