Himalayas & The Haunt at the Dome - Live review

On monday 2nd, Himalayas and The Haunt were in London to play the final show of their UK tour.

Opening the night was British singer Tally Spear. I’ve seen her live before, supporting LEAP during their Entropy Tour, and this set was much better. If her Avril Lavigne inspired alt pop/rock sound didn’t seem to convince the LEAP fanbase, the audience at the Dome was charmed, dancing and trying to sing along.

When Himalayas emerged on stage, I was ready to be swept off my feet. I’ve been listening to their songs “Thank God I’m Not You” and “Leave this place…” a lot recently, and was excited to see them live. Unfortunately, the delivery fell a bit flat. The band is undeniably talented but their lack of energy ruined everything.

I tried to tell myself that Himalays had been touring for a couple of days before this show, spending long hours on the road and probably were tired. But after checking out a couple of videos they posted on social media, I realized that this was just this way of performing. My words might seem a bit harsh here, but it’s hard to have a good time and enjoy a gig when the lead singer looks like he doesn’t want to be here. Nevertheless, the band gave the audience a nice surprise by playing some older songs such as “Ecstasy.”

After Himalayas’ set my mood had dropped a little. Luckily, The Haunt lifted up the energy as soon as they stepped on stage. Florida-born sibling duo Anastasia Grace and Maxamillion “Max” Haunt were back in the Uk after touring North America and Mexico. The house lights dimmed as eager fans pressed against the barricade. On the other hand, some already looked ready to jump in the mosh pit — the public went so hard they broke one plank of the wood flooring.

As always, The Haunt went all out with their vibrant rock, glitchy synths, and gothic electronic sounds. They opened their set with their hit song “Bad Omen,” a perfect tune to start with as it showcases Anastasia’s strength and vocal range. The majority of the setlist featured crowd favorites; “Nervous Wreck,” “Masochistic Lovers,” and “Cigarettes & Feelings” were played, among other deep cuts like “Blood Red Heart” and “Overdose.”