Gig Review: The Pale White

The Geordie trio have the technical ability but could they offer a more unique sound?

If the 90s American grunge rock scene was ambushed by a band from Newcastle, it would have been The Pale White.

They may only be a three-piece band, but there is no shortage of oomph in their music. There were some serious mosh pits at the Deaf Institute in Manchester.

Their energy was relentless, their skill effortless. All the guitar work and vocals fall on the shoulders of lead singer Adam Hope, but it’s easy work for the mustached Geordie.

The guitar parts offer more than the vocal side of things, with the setlist consisting of strong riff after strong riff, especially, That Dress, Taste The Sun, Infinite Pleasure and Validate Me. There’s a nice contrast between the typically heavy, intense sounds, and also the more restrained and curious sounds you hear in Taste the Sun and Infinite Pleasure.

There are definitely similarities to Royal Blood, but the duo are arguably the stronger melody writers at this stage. The Pale White’s most popular song is their best song (which is rare), and that’s because it has the strongest melody. That Dress throbs with a pulsating bassline and the hallmark of a great guitar riff is if you can sing it, which is exactly what Adam does throughout the song.

He is a solid vocalist and it’s not one of those where everything is about him. The vocals complement the band rather than being the focal point of each song and that seems like a good choice for the style they’re aiming for. His voice is technically good but in terms of tone, it’s probably not unique or powerful enough to be what drives a long list of huge hits.

It’s more about the band’s instruments with the Pale White and that is quite refreshing.

The indie group chose to play more of their new material, including their EP A New Breed, which is fitting as it ties in with a heavier, dirtier sound in comparison to their earlier releases, much like the song Breed by Nirvana.

These are very talented musicians who are comfortable playing live and were received better than any other band I’ve seen this year. They’ve earned that level of support, having written a collection of hard-hitting songs where indie meets grunge. But there’s still room for more originality, and indeed, a little more colour, in The Pale White’s music.