Gallows

‘I Dread The Night’

Gallows are one of my favourite new British punk bands, keeping that in mind I will not be biased whilst analysing aspects of their video. I really like this video because it contains two strong combinations of music video. It contains a enhanced performance, as they are playing together on a stage throughout in this rock n roll club/pub. However it also contains slight aspects of narrative, as it contains a punk rock lifestyle, playing poker, smoking, drinking and in dirty venues. The way this is displayed is simply phenomenal. The way they set it up to look so punk rock, yet so relaxed, I feel that this combination is a very hard look to achieve.

As you can see this video has been shot in a bar, but what seems to be a rough bar. This is clear when you look at the aspects of Mise-en-scene. As people are heavily tattooed, shallow faced, in dark light, playing poker, smoking or drinking heavily. This theme that the gallows boys are playing around suits there punk style perfectly. Which I think is my favourite aspect of the video.

As you can see here this shot is very effective in allowing the audience to see the surroundings of the bar. As here you can see a poker game going on between men, but also a shot of the boy playing in the background. This is one of my favourite camera angles used throughout the entire video.

This opening shot of the entire video sums what will be happening to me. Throughout all Gallows videos they refer to the police as pigs, or any type of security or law enforcement, due to there punk beliefs etc. So here they have dressed a bouncer of a bar/club called ‘Heaven’ ( as its illuminated above his head) in a smart suit, but sporting a pig mask, this refers to the punk culture I mentioned. And allows us to gain some insight into what will be in the video.

Here again the punk culture is continued, with a heavily tattooed bar man staring at the boys entering the bar, looking unapproachable, and angry. I feel this is achieved by the low light in the club, making it look more dark, more underground style. The low lighting is used continuously in this video to make people look darker and more in shadow etc.

Throughout this opening scene you hear Gallows promoting more of their work. As the club are quietly playing one of Gallows songs inside. This is a clever way of promoting their music, as people will hear it before they see the video for a different song. Plus it backs up my point a bout a punk rock bar. As clearly the people in the bar like punk if they are listening to that music. This is a strong feature n my opinion.

The next shot as they are walking up the stairs you see to the right of the stairs, there are strippers dancing together round a pole. This refers to Andrew Goodwin's point that women's role in music videos are to be looked at voyeuristically by men. This again is referring to the punk rock narrative kept up throughout this entire video. This gives the video a bit of a sleazy rocker style. So far with just 2-3 shots maximum, the audience know the style of the video, the Mise-en-scene aspects and the style of performance they will expect to see.

This is one of my favourite features of the video. Frank (lead singer of gallows) is antichrist, due to personal reasons of experiences of a child. So he proceeds in making the church look corrupt or un innocent as frequently in videos as possible, this is a visual motif that he uses repeatedly. As you can see here they have placed a vicar in a punk rock bar around sleazy stripper and women etc. This effect is designed to make the church look less innocent and perhaps even challenge vicars belief of the bible. This shot is effective for me mainly due to the lighting and the mise-en-scene. The light is a pinprick shining on his face, making him look high in contrast, and angry/hard faced. Then as mentioned he's surrounded by strippers, an important aspect of mise-en-scene.

Before you see this shot, you see the band all wearing their instruments ready to perform. Then the drummer smacks his sticks together 4 times to open the song. This was an effective way to introduce the song in my opinion. Plus if you look closely they have a black union jack behind them, signifying Grey Britain (there album and a popular belief). They include grey Britain as much as possible, as it refers to a punk belief. This is an aspect of mise-en-scene, a simple one, yet very effective.

As you can see here they have started playing there music, in a loud defiant manner, getting the whole clubs attention. As you an see hear the passionate heavily tattooed Frank is screaming is heart out into the mic. The lighting here again is very low, only slightly illuminating the band, keeping a consistent dark underground theme going (one of my favourite features of the video).

Here again you see the band playing next to a oblivious bar men, who is acting as if he couldn’t care less about the music, or anyone in the bar. He is simply washing glasses keeping his shaven head down. This also allows us to see the source of the light, It appears that one light is on the floor, and another light merely coming from the bar. This is where the low light is from. They continue playing throughout the rest of the video similar to this, people acting casual playing poker drinking etc.

Here you see that the vicar has had enough with the punk rock music blasting out across the bar, and he takes a stand, staring Frank (lead singer) out eye to eye. Then in the song Frank refers to his punk people and how there , and they are there in the night. This to me is effective shot to shot action, mainly because of the low light gives it a dark evil presence. This is ironic as one of the two in the stare down is a vicar.

This next shot is the defining moment of the video, Frank mentioning his people. Suddenly the club is swarmed with young punks, running in and causing chaos, strangely fitting in with the rough astatic of the bar. The vicar is then left standing in shock, as the youth all run round him and through him, screaming at the top of their voices. This ties in with what Andrew Goodwin calls a typical genre represented video. Meaning that this is a typical punk rock video, everything links with the style of the music. This is one of my favourite videos I have analysed when it comes to relating to the genre.

As mentioned all of Franks people have stampeded the bar and have started causing mayhem, hear is an example of this activity taking place, as you can see a young man throwing a table with drinks on it aside. This is a typical punk rock video as stated by Andrew Goodwin, as it has been solid chaos from start to finish.

In the closing moments of the video, the bouncers dressed in the pig masks (symbolising that they are scum) have taken action against the rowdy people who have entered the bar. They have brought in riot control. This also links to the punk symbolism that the police/law enforcements are pigs, as they to are dressed in pig masks. I love how this shot is lit, as they are framed in the door, with one key light shining on them, making them the key focus point.

As you can see here, the law enforcements have won using strong violence against Franks people. This symbolises a strong punk relief, that the police will use violence in unnecessary circumstances. Here they have succeeded and are dragging the boys out of the club in a aggressive manner. This proving that punk belief is valid when it comes to the laws treatment of citizens. This video is very cultural indeed.

Here is another shot showing that the bouncer in the pig mask has been bruised badly during the scrap between punks and the law. This symbolises the violence that goes on in London clubs and bars, and just how dramatic the results can be. The pig bouncer is staring defiantly at the band, saying with his eyes alone, we won. Frank then ends the song by staring triumphantly at the priest and the law.

This final shot is my favourite of the whole video. The intensity is incredible. The strong lit face of Frank Carter which also includes a slight detection of shadow, perhaps showing he has something to hide or cover up. He is staring defiantly at the priest symbolises anger towards what he stands for and everything he does. What adds to the anger is the anti Christ tattoo located on Franks cheek. This symbolises he’s against religion of any kind. This final stare down ends a typical punk rock video with a cultural clash. This is something Goodwin mentions, mainly about a typical genre related video.

Here as well the priest is well lit as well, but also has the same shadow in the face, almost as if there is something to hide about the character also. He is staring cockily at Frank as if to say he has won the battle, and he has come out on top against the punks. This ends a typical Punk rock genre video. This defiant stare down between to completely different people.