Review by Paul Verner for MPM
In the last year or so there has been a huge buzz surrounding President, this is due in no small part to their anonymous identities, rapid rise to fame, and powerful sound, all of which have sparked intense curiosity and ongoing fan speculation – after all not many bands get to play their first show to a packed tent at Download. So it was no surprise that all dates on their current UK/Ireland tour sold out in record time. With Belfast being the first date on that tour, but the the last to be announced, meaning many fans had purchased tickets for other dates before the local date was announced.
Supporting tonight TheBoyShadow eventually took to the stage with many fans wondering how they would be able to fill their support slot having only released one song to date. Consisting of three vocalists and a drummer. Their sound was a brutal assault on the senses with heavy guitar breakdowns and screaming vocal which were briefly interrupted by some fantastic vocal harmonies in the quieter moments. Apart from the drums, that soundscape is completely the product of backing tracks, it almost felt like a hugely talented drummer had gone out on the road with three backing vocalists. And maybe that is why there lighting was so poor, because as talented as the drummer was, there is only so long you can be entertained by three guys screaming at you and dancing around the stage with a few tunes that it was obvious no-one knew.
While the stage was being turned around for the headliner the background music was interspersed by public service type announcements welcoming “citizens to the inaugural headline rally” and advising that “the President will be along shortly”. This was a nice touch which added to the building atmosphere.
With the stage readied, complete with presidential lectern lit up by signal pink neon double bar cross, Ike for President, the old 50’s advertisement music played as intro music and the President strolled onto the stage pausing occasionally to wave to his adoring public.
Opening with Fearless, theaudience hung on every word. The track lived up to its name — a surge of adrenaline and defiance that turned the venue into a rallying grounds and its chorus became the presidential rallying cry.
Riding the momentum of their debut EP King of Terrors they quickly followed up with Dionysus and RAGE and eventually dropping into Angel Wings, the first of two recently released singles.
The short main set closed out with an astounding cover of Deftones’ Change (in The House Of Flies) and and extended version of Conclave, again taken from President’s debut EP.
After a brief interlude they came back on and ripped into the second of their recently released singles Mercy and it was nothing short of cathartic. On record, the song is already one of their most emotionally charged pieces, but live — and in Limelight’s sweat‑soaked, history‑laden walls — it was both explosive and unforgettable as ‘citizens sang and screamed along with startling force.
Just before closing with their debit single In the Name Of The Father, another public service announcement rang out letting the “citizens of Belfast” know that this was “merely an opening chapter” and they “did not come to whisper but to build movement, a sound, a future” and of that I have no doubt. President delivered a set that while short, was meticulously shaped, emotionally charged, and executed with the authority of a band who know exactly who they are. In a venue famous for breaking new acts and amplifying homegrown talent, the sound was superb and the the band rose fully to the occasion.
Their live show feels like a ceremony, their songs like a manifesto. They’re not just a band to watch. They’re a band to follow.
Setlist:
- Fearless
- Dionysus
- RAGE
- Angel Wings
- Change (In The HouseOf Flies) (Deftones cover)
- Conclave
- Mercy
- Destroy Me
- In the Name Of The Father
