Halo

To the same familiar tune Halo stride onstage. Greeted by a chorus of high-pitched squeals, they pick up their instruments, say their hello’s and start to play. For Halo, it’s a good set, they play well, the audience gets into it, there’s a fun atmosphere as some jump around and sing along, and some just stand and watch. Indeed, Halo play a solid, well rehearsed performance, but yet for me, the more I see this band, and recently I’ve seen them a fair few times, the more empty and hollow their show seems...

With their perfected rock star poses and impeccable simultaneous leaps, Halo provide the audience with the idealistic stereotype rock star stage show. And yet, for all their apparent angst, vigour and enthusiasm, they come across as very two-dimensional – perhaps a little, dare I say it, fake..?

Before my eyes, I see a band who have so much energy, an unlimited amount of enthusiasm and desire and who are just desperate to please their audience, and it all works in their favour, but… for fucks sakes! This is not pop idol! Desire isn’t enough! I want to see a band who are in love with their music, who have something to say, who can use their vocals to slap me sharply across the face and make me listen. The thing is that, however pretty and saleable Halo may be, there’s a key point that not only the band, but the voices behind them need to realise, and that is that you simply cannot choreograph passion.

In short, Halo entertain, but they do not inspire, and that is the difference between satisfactory and outstanding.