The Hara have a loyal following, that goes without saying, but one thing we are always blown away by is their manic stage show which is only matched by their fans.
Fresh off their successful SXSW show in Austin, Texas, they come to their hometown of Manchester to headline the legendary Academy 2. Following in the footsteps of some of their heroes like The Darkness and Blink 182, this is a stage fit for kings, and the kings have come home.
What I have learnt as they have developed is they have a passion, for performing, everything is carefully put in place, and it’s not just a gig its an invitation, to join the mayhem, we have a full 90-minute set, no let-up, a full-on assault of the senses. A large screen at the back of the stage comes to life and starts downloading, in a very retro, street fighter mode, we then have an introduction from the devil, “Autobiography”, “Off The Edge”, and “Fire”, gives us a quick-fire start, which also sees Josh, disappear over the barrier and into his first crowd surf of the evening.
The band are relishing playing their biggest headline gig to date, here in their hometown of Manchester, something that is not lost on a raucous crowd. Whilst the band are showcasing their debut album, “Survival Mode”, these fans that have been with them from the start, and go crazy when treated to tracks from early EPs, “Fool and The Thief”, “FYI”, whilst’ “We All Wear Black”, and “Off The Edge”, are becoming staple crowd favourites.
Zack Green makes sure all riffs are provided to the begging audience via his trusty Ironheart rig. Running an IRT120H, GS412IA, IRT-SLS and his BCC-Monolith on his board. Zack struts across the stage commanding the crowd to soak in his riffs. It is passionate and it is brilliant, EXACTLY how a rock n roll show should be. The perfect blend of power and intricacy.
A connection between the band and the crowd is as essential. Josh is a demon of a performer, constantly on the move, always reaching out to the crowd. None of it is forced or manufactured, it’s a two-way commitment, between performer and fans. As the set developed the simmering crowd was brought to the boil with the last offering, “Friends”, the crowd have played their part, but it is the band that has delivered, it won’t be long before bigger venues are needed to play host to this rapidly growing band.
The Hara are here to stay, where they belong and the only thing we can see changing is bigger venues and bigger crowds. They are on the rise!
