At The Louisiana
A kaleidoscope of musical colours and flavours combined at The Louisiana this past Friday. The sounds and styles of the four bands so different that it was like walking the stages of a music festival, but without having to leave the very busy confines of the Louie.
First up were Devon-shire based four piece Dear Anyone.
A band that play wistfully, mixing up tempo and soft without losing focus. Elli Cook’s backing vocals compliment lead vocalist Tom Gilbert very well. And in Corey Partridge they have a secret weapon on drums, eager to bust loose at any time.
Quiet in terms of interaction with the crowd, but more than enough charm to woe the room.
I’ll be honest, but any band that are shouting Star Wars quotes at each other during their tune up is already on to a winner with me.
And when you end your set with a cover of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers there is no way you are getting a negative write up.
Bristol boys Sonic Sunrise have a cheeky fun stage presence that is backed up with a great sound. These four lads get a room laughing, smiling and singing along.
Lead singer Aaron Potter fronts very well a band that reminds of a cross between an early Blink 182, crossed with Bowling for Soup. Maybe not in style, but certainly in delivery.
Its great to see a band enjoy their time on stage and not just go through the motions. Sonic Sunrise inject fun and energy throughout their set. Behind the playfulness there is a solid band that know how to write catchy tunes and are capable of dropping classic rock riffs.
The reason the Gig Guide selected this particular show as our Gig of the Week was a burning desire to see if the hype around Bristol based Cuffs was a real.
IT IS!!!
In front man Brodie Morgans they have a star in the making. And the band are headliners in waiting on the Bristol circuit and beyond.
I had heard about the high impact, high energy stage performances and the evening didn’t disappoint. If Brodie wasn’t sailing across a sea of hands then it was guitarist Matt and Bassist Will diving into the throng of the energised crowd.
The politically charged lyrics show a maturity in the bands writing, far beyond its years. And those same lyrics are delivered with a raw venom that the Gallows or Rage Against the Machine would be proud of.
Cuffs could get lost in their angst and the whole thing descend into a scream fest, but they have a delivery, poise and clarity that means every word can be both felt and understood. No small feat when the crowd is churning all around you.
I have said before my acid test for a band as a reviewer is would I pay to watch them. And the answer with Cuffs is a resounding YES.
If you like your lyrics politically laced and your beats fast, then these lads are a must catch.
Quite how Way Back When were going to follow that was going to be interesting to see.
Polar opposites in terms of sound and stage presence, WBW were going to have their work cut out to hold the crowds attention. Indeed it took a little while for the indie, rock five piece to settle.
However settle they did. And with a good crowd singing along, word for word on occasion, they delivered a polished performance.
Every now and again you see a band that reminds you of multiple other bands, but you can’t quite put your finger on who. For me Way Back When fall into that category.
Let me be clear, that is far from a criticism. I say this because the band have a tightness and ease in their performance that makes them comfortable and enjoyable to listen too.
Vocalist Tom Lowman has a beautiful and effortless delivery and the band as a whole a personality that is very easy to like.
A solid band with a solid set to cap a very entertaining evening.
