LIVE: Greywind / Holding Absence @ St. Pancras Old Church, London

By Jess Tagliani

In a short time, Greywind have created a huge buzz. Fans and industry professionals alike raved about the Irish siblings from the moment they released their debut single ‘Afterthoughts’. A few festivals later, along with supporting tours, and a record deal with Spinefarm, the brother and sister duo are playing their first headline show to celebrate the release of debut album ‘Afterthoughts’.

Being handed the rather overwhelming task of opening tonight’s proceedings is Holding Absence. They get off to a shaky start with technical difficulties but they soldier on without batting an eyelid, performing the incredibly beautiful and touching ‘Everything’, before turning into a furious whirlwind of energy during ‘Permanent’. After hearing Lucas Woodland’s soaring vocals, the room has to pretty much scrape their jaws off the floor; his vocals transcend, ranging from raw and visceral to heart-breaking. It cannot be stressed enough as to how talented and powerful Holding Absence are, as they leave the room breathless.

This headline show has been a long time coming for Greywind and from the start, they don’t put a foot wrong. They power through tracks such as ‘Forest Ablaze’, which simply roars to life, whilst ‘Circle’ and ‘Car Spin’ explode with glorious power; Steph O’Sullivan’s tight and clean vocals easily cut through slick riffs during the likes of ‘Stitch On My Wings’. It’s obvious to tell that the duo are high off adrenaline throughout their set – tonight’s sold out, a testament to their talent and what they’ve achieved so far.

‘Safe Haven’ and ‘The Lake’ hum with a delicious and vibrant energy, and they sign off with their title track ‘Afterthoughts’, which is where their journey started so it’s fitting that they finish off their first every headline show with it. Greywind have set the bar high for their future shows – they’re a feisty and fierce duo, and know how to create an electric atmosphere with their heart-felt and impressive music.

JESS TAGLIANI