Daywalkers

With a sound more at home in a dark and sweaty basement, Daywalkers may have seemed an odd choice to open proceedings, but this is not a band to let daylight get in their way. Their rock/DnB fusion kicked life into the afternoon in the meatiest of ways and, as frontman Tonn Piper bounced and prowled his way round, you sensed that they’re on the ladder to much higher places on bills than this - BBC.co.uk

Manchester’s never really had much involvement in the often rather underwhelming field of rap-metal, but Daywalkers inject a touch of local flavour and a whole heap of enthusiasm, courtesy of outstanding frontman Tonn Piper. Coming from a hip-hop and breaks background, he effortlessly captures your attention and works the crowd, demanding and receiving participation with his quickfire MC chatter of low-down dirty scoundrels and council estates with 'no-ball-games-allowed' signs on every corner. With (guitarist) Phil’s riffs coming straight from the Black Sabbath school of loud, it’s like the Dust Junkys on a night out at Rockworld or Rage Against The Machine if they'd grown up in Longsight. A pair of string-haired lads in hoodies are throwing their lanky bodies about down the front as if they’re watching the greatest band ever, there are hands in the air and banging heads, and a type of music that’s all too often sterilised into stadiums and MTV corporate-alternative slots wakes from the dead - raw, in your face and invigorating. - Manchestermusic.co.uk

Who:
Daywalkers are a Manchester four-piece who have been around for a little over nine months now. The band consists of Tonn Piper (vocals), Robin Plumley (Bass), Phil Johnson (Guitar) and Dom Buckley (Drums and samples). Though only around for a short time, Manchester music-scene aficionados will recognise the name Tonn piper as one of the most talented MCs in the city’s burgeoning Drum and Bass scene.

What to expect:
“We’re a hard rock band” explains Plumley unabashed “Aggressive but soulful metal with a real groove, that’s down to our drummer. I used to promote drum and bass nights in Manchester” he elaborates “which is how I met Tonn. I always loved bands like Slayer and when I heard Tonn MC’ing at double speed it just dawned on me that you can mix the two together. Plus he’s a great front man” Live the band have bee compared to the prodigy but more in the energy level than in the actual sound. The club aesthetic that infuses the bands metal sound is no doubt helped by the fact that drummer Dom teaches scratching to kids in schools by day. “He’s amazingly talented” says Plumley, “We’re all jealous”.

The struggle so far:
Only a few gigs and an uncompleted demo tape haven’t stopped Daywalkers getting some rave reviews and a few more prime gigs. They have played at Legends and the music box where they wooed a crowd used to a more electronic sound, and have entertained a 10000 strong crowd at the MEN arena during the ASA World Action Sports Championship finals.

What Next:
Its still early days, but the next gig is the after show party at Dry Bar Mcr for this years Northern Quarter Festival taking place at the end of May, no demo and they have been asked to headline, that’s going to piss off their rivals surely.
- City Life