Feature: NeCrow Events

August 19, 2024

Feature: NeCrow Events

A Certain Taste's first feature is with Rebecca from NeCrow

First off, thank you for taking the time to do this, I suppose the first couple of things we should ask, for those unfamiliar with yourselves is who are NeCrow, what are your origins and what do you do?

NeCrow are promoters operating around the UK - we focus almost entirely on underground black metal, as that is where our passions lie. It is run by myself, Rebecca, alongside my partner, Paul. We are devoted fans of black metal - some might say obsessively so. NeCrow is really our outlet for that devotion. A way to contribute to and further a scene that we care deeply about.

The origins of NeCrow are steeped in mystery... even I don't really understand them, as I wasn't there at the beginning. Good friends created NeCrow Events a few years before we met to put on gigs for their own project and associated acts. At the time of our meeting, I was running the press team for a metal radio station, Midlands Metalheads, and they asked me to get involved in numerous related projects. Eventually I usurped NeCrow for my own nefarious purposes and the rest is history.

We put on black metal shows - predominantly in Birmingham - but more recently we have branched out to other areas of the UK, including Manchester, Bristol, London and Cumbria - where we run the festival, Darkness Over Cumbria, alongside Wulfhere Productions.

What took you into the field that you are in?

If you were to ask my parents, probably Satanic forces... my own death wish and a rush towards dark, malevolent, ill-advised activities. Simply, I like to keep myself busy and to feel as if I am contributing to the things that I love. I started to get very heavily into the local metal scene when I moved away to university - I wrote my dissertation on it, in fact. I was studying Cultural Anthropology and chose the sub-culture of metal as a topic, really as an excuse to integrate my social life with my academic endeavours. I fell in love with the way metal - particularly extreme metal - made me feel, like I was part of something whilst also clearly being an outcast and not really fitting in.

After graduating I wanted to continue being involved in that world and to contribute what I can to its preservation and growth. I am not a musician, so the way I felt I could contribute was by promoting it and initially fell into the press side of things - before trying my hand at band management, running a record label and promoting gigs. My day job is in marketing and social media which means I've developed my skills and experience over the years to support these activities.

What are your current plans?

We are working away on lots of things at the moment. Our main focus is currently delivering the final iteration of Darkness Over Cumbria at Fell Foot Wood in October. The event is now sold out - with a line-up that includes Horna (Finland), Merrimack (France) and UK bands - The Infernal Sea, Heathen Deity, Deitus, Thy Dying Light and many more. We're excited to be bringing this stunning line-up together but the event is tinged with sadness as it will be our last at the Fell Foot. The venue holds a special place for us personally and within the UK black metal scene as a whole. It's a real loss. However, we move on and we're working hard behind the scenes to find a replacement site.

We have also got some really cool gigs on the horizon - including bringing Abigail, the most evil band in Japan, to Aatma in Manchester on the 7th November. The black thrash night also features the thrash metal titans from Colombia – Perpetual Warfare and blackened thrash from USA - Black Mass. So a great international line-up that is definitely causing a lot of excitement amongst the North West fans. Aatma is a great venue for this one - grotty, it's going to be a really horrible night - in the best possible way.

We've got another show up our sleeves for 2024 - in a new city for us. I can't say too much at the moment but it is the most excited I've ever been for a show. A real dream come true for me personally - promoting a band that I have loved quite dearly for many many years. It'll be a special one, for sure - and I am really throwing a lot at making sure it is a brilliant event for all involved. Keep an eye on our socials for more - we've already got a few things booked in for 2025.

Have there been any notable highlights?

So many highlights. Promoting events - particularly underground black metal - can be a real struggle and often a thankless task. But I get such a kick out of looking around a room full of fellow black metal enthusiasts all having a brilliant night. That's really why I do it - it gives me such a feeling of wellbeing, bringing this evil nasty music to people. I love working with bands too - I have such respect for talented musicians. I feel honoured to use my own skills to support what they do.

In terms of actual events, I think the first major highlight for us was our Call of the Crow event that we put on at Scruffy Murphys in Birmingham. The line-up was just gorgeous for any UKBM fan. We had The Infernal Sea, Necronautical, Burial, Wolvencrown, Shadowflag and Crimson Throne on that day. It was just a solid day of great UKBM and I was really proud to be part of that.

The next one was probably Whammerfest - which we put on at The Flapper, Birmingham. The event was really a reaction against HRH Hammerfest, who were running a festival across town on the same day. HRH have a long history of mis-managing events and shafting bands and fans. We had an absolute blast that day with our headliners Foetal Juice. Each band that played had previously had a negative experience of the HRH operations so it was really about making a stand against unscrupulous promoters that only damage the scene.

Another great highlight was our gig with the avant-garde black metal band Imperial Triumphant from USA. We put them on at The Dome, London - a really lovely venue and a delightful band to work with. We ended that show with a bang as we set off a massive glitter cannon. And who doesn't want added glitter with their black metal?! It was glorious - well worth the extra cleaning bill we had to pay to the venue.

Obviously, taking on the organisation of Darkness Over Cumbria - alongside our friend, Paul Gibson - is a massive highlight for NeCrow. Running a festival, particularly one with such a legacy and dedicated following, is a huge responsibility and one we took very seriously. Our sold out event in July featured headliners Cenotaphe (France) and Fuath (Scotland) and was really well received. We had really good feedback from bands and the crowd. We had a great time as custodians of the Blackwood and look forward to the next one in October.

What are you currently listening to?

I'm off to Prophecy Fest in Germany next month so I've been diving into the line-up quite a bit in preparation. The festival, for anyone unfamiliar, is a showcase for Prophecy Records and held in a natural cave - Balve Hohle. I've wanted to experience the cave for a few years now so I'm incredibly excited to be making the trip in September. Some of the key bands I'm looking forward to include; Fen, Ard, Solstice, Wolcensmen, Paradise Lost, Alcest, Hexvessel and Empyrium. A lot of personal favourites on the list - recommended for anyone with an interest in the more atmospheric, ethereal end of black metal and a heavy dose of doom in there too. I predict a very happy Rebecca, once I get there. I love visiting Germany also and will delight in a few biers and schnitzels, no doubt.

I've also been listening to the new tracks from the UKBM King's themselves, Winterfylleth - their new album 'The Imperious Horizon' is out on 13th September and will inevitably be my number one album of 2024.

Thankyou for taking the time to contribute on this feature

Thanks! Feel free to get in touch if you've got any follow up questions.

Rebecca