Tag: Live Music

Categories
Live Reviews

Kira Mac

Kira Mac

Waterfront Studio, Norwich

Sunday 5th May 2024

Follow us on Social Media

KIRA MAC – NORWICH – LIVE REVIEW

📸 (c) Denis Gorbatov / Full Pelt Music

After months of miserable weather, spring has finally sprung with the sun shining this Bank Holiday weekend. Revellers on an evening walk past the Waterfront in Norwich this evening get see a long queue mixed with rockers and goths as music fans line up for two different events.

Downstairs is a tribute band for The Cure and upstairs we are here to catch rising bands Kira Mac and Jayler in the Waterfront Studio. I’ll let you guess which sub-culture group is headed to which show!

JAYLER

Those upstairs don’t have to wait long for the entertainment to begin and kicking off proceedings this evening are youngsters Jayler. The four-piece look and sound like they’ve been rescued from the 1970’s by Bill and Ted in order to pass an exam asking what blues-soaked hard rock should sound like.

From opening duo ‘Acid Rain’ and ‘No Woman’ onwards it’s clear that the band are heavily inspired by the likes of Led Zeppelin and Greta Van Fleet. Those are some big old shoes to fill, but with their mesmerising performance tonight, Jayler prove that they are here to give it a good go. In fairness, on this evidence, you wouldn’t put it past the group from making a big mark in the near future.

KIRA MAC

Headliners Kira Mac have certainly been making a mark since the release of their debut album, ‘Chaos Is Calling’, in 2022. Word is certainly spreading about the rockers and the venue tonight is packed and eager to see their new heroes.

The band come out all guns blazing and the first portion of their set sees them fly through, ‘Save Your Whiskey’, ‘Dead Man Walking’, ‘Chaos Is Calling’ and new tracks ‘Play the Game’, ‘No Way Out’ and ‘Scorned’.

Next, the band change the pace with a special acoustic portion – something the band comment won’t be repeated in the future. If so, that would be a shame as the next twenty or so minutes are a fantastic showcase not just of the talent within the band but also their charm.

Singer Rhiannon Hill is able to hold the audience and make them hang off of every word. A handful of rarer played tracks and covers is well received and is a real highlight of the evening.

A rousing cover of Alanis Morissette classic ‘You Oughta Know’ then kickstarts the third section of their performance and gets the crowd singing along. Six more tracks follow with some favourites and a sneak peek of what to expect from album number two. During all of these tracks, you are left to appreciate the camaraderie and talent held within the tight group.

That kinship and audience connection will help to set the band apart as they move to the next era of their career and you’d have to expect that when they return to Norwich, they’ll be playing in the bigger presently goth occupied room.

An encore of ‘Downfall’ and ‘One Way Ticket’ delivers a final knockout blow this evening and has the fans raving about what they’ve just witnessed as they file back into the warm spring night.

Share this review on Social Media

Find Full Pelt Music on YouTube!

Check out our two Podcasts!

Categories
Live Reviews

PET NEEDS

Pet Needs

Portland Arms, Cambridge

Follow us on Social Media

PET NEEDS – CAMBRIDGE – LIVE REVIEW

The community that surrounds PET NEEDS is quite extraordinary. Their fans, or ‘fractured party people’, passionately support the group in their endeavours and recently assisted the the band in defying the odds by reaching number 17 in the UK Albums Chart.

Tonight, finds the group partway through a tour which acts as a victory lap for that album – ‘Intermittent Fast Living’.

PET NEEDS

Through all their achievements though, the fact that PET NEEDS cultivated that fanbase through a number of support slots isn’t lost on them. Indeed frontman Johnny Marriott identifies the importance of these opportunities tonight whilst explaining that tour support Generation Feral is running late.

Instead of cancelling the support slot however, Generation Feral is racing to the venue and rather than leaving fans waiting, Johnny and brother George open the show with an acoustic set of favourites and rarities including ‘Pavlovian’ and ‘Primetime Entertainment’.

GENERATION FERAL

Soon after, Generation Feral arrives and without a soundcheck takes to the stage to deliver an incredible virtuoso performance.  Hitting important subjects in a frank and down to earth manner, Generation Feral is able to showcase her strong songwriting capabilities through the likes of ‘hide your knees’, ‘political climate’ and ‘newborn adult’.

The fans in attendance reciprocate her energy and together an uplifting experience is created, where both audience and artist are grateful of the efforts taken for the set to take place.

PET NEEDS

It again isn’t long before PET NEEDS then return to the stage in full complement and raise the roof with new favourites ‘Separation Anxiety’ and ‘Trip’ from their heralded third album. What is instantly obvious as they do so, is that the fans present already know every word and that the songs already feel at home in the setlist.

That observation is true of all ‘Intermittent Fast Living’ tracks that follow and is a testament to the quality of the record. When you then factor in songs from their first two albums, a PET NEEDS set is now structured – banger after banger after banger!

A final run of ‘Fear for the Whole Damn World’, ‘Tracey Emin’s Bed’, ‘Lost Again’, ‘Sleep When I’m Dead’ and ‘Get on the Roof’ is perhaps the strongest evidence of that theme.

With a new look line-up in place and momentum fully on their side, there appears to be no slowing down from one of the best young bands around. The band have a plethora of festival slots booked for this summer and on this showing tonight, you’d be a fool not to highlight them on your clashfinder!

Share our review on Social Media

Watch Episode 44 of The Full Pelt Music Podcast with guests PET NEEDS

The Full Pelt Music Podcast – Episode 44 – PET NEEDS

Find Full Pelt Music on YouTube!

Check out our two Podcasts!

Categories
Live Reviews

Dan Patlansky

Dan Patlansky

Dingwalls, London

Saturday 13th April 2024

Follow us on Social Media

DAN PATLANSKY – LONDON – LIVE REVIEW

It’s a Saturday evening and it’s the first warm spring evening of the year! Camden is therefore predictably bustling with people checking out the famous market and taking in some street food and maybe a beer or two.

The best way to finish an evening in Camden Town is always by savouring some live music in one of the many famous venues. In an area famous for punk however, tonight is all about the blues! That’s because Dingwalls is welcoming South African maestro Dan Patlansky to one of London’s best small venues.

LEONI JANE KENNEDY

Despite the temptation to sit in the sunshine with a pint by the lock, the venue fills up early with fans anticipating an intense showcase of modern blues rock. Up first though is Leoni Jane Kennedy who takes to the stage solo with just an acoustic guitar for company.

Kennedy however has no issues in grabbing the attention of the blues aficionados in attendance. Her charm and intricate melodies easily serenade the audience and her short set is entirely captivating.

A delightful cover of ‘Tears’ by Rush is a treat, but throughout the set each song offers a glimpse of Kennedy’s songwriting talents. Finishing with ‘Synthetic’, which is the title-track of her upcoming debut album, Kennedy no doubt will have left a lasting impression tonight with her illuminating performance.

DAN PATLANSKY

It’s actually something of a miracle that this show is going ahead, given that our headliner Dan Patlansky has been sick in recent days with a couple of necessary postponements. Patlansky however makes it clear that he was desperate to play tonight, and as his set begins with ‘Lift Off’, those in attendance are instantly grateful that he was.

That’s because despite battling through illness, Patlansky is able to channel something otherworldly to deliver a mesmerising performance alongside his band. Accompanied by bassist Greg Van Kerkhof and drummer Andy Maritz, the power trio is scorching at times, delicate at others and always meticulous.

That tantalising talent especially shines through on new material from Patlansky’s latest release ‘Movin’ On’. The title track and ‘Who I Am’ are highlights but the songs from the album all shine tonight.

Another special treat this evening sees Patlansky joined by teenage blues prodigy Rhys John Stygal for a fantastic rendition of the Howlin’ Wolf song ‘Tell Me’ in the style of Stevie Ray Vaughan!

Patlansky has a rare ability to make his guitar sing and his blistering blues are relished by the adoring crowd this evening. Over the course of one-hundred glorious minutes, Patlansky and co forget illness and the outside world and simply let the music do the talking.

A glorious day has been punctuated by two superb sets from Kennedy and Patlansky and the crowd can disperse into the Camden nightlife to reminisce on a memorable evening.

Share our review on Social Media

Watch Episode 46 of The Full Pelt Music Podcast with guest Dan Patlansky

The Full Pelt Music Podcast – Episode 46 – Dan Patlansky

Find Full Pelt Music on YouTube!

Check out our two Podcasts!

Categories
Live Reviews

Creeper

Creeper

Epic Studios, Norwich

Monday 18th March 2024

Follow us on Social Media

CREEPER – NORWICH – LIVE REVIEW

📸 (C) Denis Gorbatov / Full Pelt Music

Despite being one of the most active live bands in the UK, it has been almost a decade since Creeper last played in the city of Norwich. Back then they were the support band in the backroom of a pub, now they return at the much larger Epic Studios and their fans are out in numbers despite some competition from local favourite Justin Hawkins just up the road.

ZETRA

Before the main event however we have our openers Zetra who, after opening for Creeper at their one-off Roundhouse show in 2022, are along for the ride on this ’12 Days of Night’ tour.

The mysterious duo deliver a methodical set of elevator music for Goths. The elements of theatre fit naturally with the aesthetic of a Creeper show and the respectful crowd appear content with their performance. Whilst sparks don’t necessarily fly, the band create the perfect ambience to prepare us for what’s to come next.

CREEPER

What comes next is a band who have certainly made their case for the best live act award. Creeper are now a wholly different prospect compared to their early Norwich shows; for whilst they can still go hard when the moment calls, they are now an elegant and effervescent force. To go with the vampire theme, they are less the brute force of Blade and more the seductive charm of Count Dracula.

Speaking of awards, Creeper won two of our end of year awards this past December and it’s our Single of the Year ‘Cry To Heaven’ that kicks their set off in spectacular fashion. The catchy song instantly elevates the audience energy levels and alongside the quickfire romp of ‘Poison Pens’ sets the tone for the evening.

The setlist for this tour is carefully curated given the band now have three albums and four EP’s to choose from. There are therefore many big songs which don’t make the cut this evening.

That’s an indictment of how packed their back catalogue has become and that’s never more apparent then when you consider the tracks not present with the fact that they can still pull out the likes of ‘Hiding With Boys’, ‘Cyanide’, ‘Down Below’, ‘The Honeymoon Suite’, ‘Annabelle’ and ‘I Choose To Live’. That’s not to even mention the stunning Hannah Greenwood led interlude of ‘Ghosts Over Calvary’ and ‘Crickets’!

The second Full Pelt Award taken home by Creeper last year was Album of the Year for their latest masterpiece ‘Sanguivore’ and those are the tracks that perhaps own tonight. ‘Teenage Sacrifice’ is glorious, ‘Lovers Led Astray’, ‘The Ballad of Spook & Mercy’ and ‘Chapel Gates’ are all highlights and the rock opera ‘Further Than Forever’ is simply magnificent.

The line-up for the band now officially features guitarist Lawrie Pattison and it feels like they are firing off all cylinders together. Each member brings somewhat special and together they have hit another level, and whilst there are a few clichés there, ultimately you can’t help but be excited for the future of the band.

It’s an old favourite though that brings the evening to a spine-tingling close with ‘Misery’ eliciting the sing-a-long to end all sing-a-longs. Creeper can leave Norwich this time around knowing that they’ve ascended into something much bigger than their humble beginnings. The fans however will be heading home praying that it doesn’t take the band another nine years to return to the city.

Share this review on Social Media

Check out our free weekly digital Magazine!

Find Full Pelt Music on YouTube!

Categories
Live Reviews

Feeder

Feeder

Epic Studios, Norwich

Wednesday 13th March 2024

Follow us on Social Media

FEEDER – NORWICH – live review

📸(c) Denis Gorbatov / Full Pelt Music

There is a lengthy queue formed outside Epic Studios in Norwich this evening with the considerable amount of Feeder t-shirts giving a good hint of what will be taking place inside the venue.

Indeed, this show sold out well in advance and it appears that Norfolk’s indie lovers are excited to catch the band playing what Grant Nicholas terms as ‘old school Feeder territory’ for the first time in nearly five years.

THE PEARL HARTS

Up first though are a band also keen to make up for lost time. The Pearl Harts were originally scheduled to support Feeder back in March 2020 but we all know what happened then!

The venue is already full as the duo take to the stage and kick proceedings off with bluesy rocker ‘Black Blood’. Looking around, there are a few in the crowd perhaps surprised to be given such a good rocking as soon as they walk in the door.

The Pearl Harts released their second album, ‘Love, Chaos’, last year and have honed their craft by playing shows across the UK and Europe in recent years. They are therefore an assured live prospect, in that you know that you’re going to get a good time!

That’s exactly what the band give us this evening with a mixture of newer material and older favourites such as ‘Lara’ and ‘Hurt’. Any early trepidation seems to have been blow away and by the time the duo exit the stage they’ve certainly won some additional followers.

FEEDER

Feeder on the other hand certainly need no introduction, the audience are packed in, raring to go and ready for a sing-a-long. Those big moments come with the likes of ‘Feeling A Moment’ and ‘Just The Way I’m Feeling’ eliciting excitable reactions, but the first half of the set focuses predominantly on newer tracks.

The band are set to release their twelfth album ‘Black/Red’ next month and songs from the double record take centre stage this evening including grandiose opener ‘ELF’. The crowd are respectful and show appreciation for these new offerings, which are quite sonically diverse.

This preview of the newer material truly does pique interest and you can almost hear the penny dropping for attendees that ‘Black/Red’ is going to be worth some exploration. Equally newer tracks such as ‘Kyoto’ and ‘Fear of Flying’ demonstrate that the band also have some fine offerings in their more recent collections.

To the surprise of no one though the biggest reactions of the evening come with the likes of ‘Buck Rogers’ and show finale ‘Just A Day’. Any band would sell their soul to possess mega-tunes like these and their sing-a-long moments will always ensure fans go home happy.

The key takeaways from this show however should be firstly an appreciation for the depth in quality of the Feeder back catalogue and then an excitement for what this next chapter holds.

Regardless of all that though, those that formed that queue can now head into the night having just seen two fantastic live acts in their local venue and that’s what it’s really all about!

Share our review on Social Media

Check out our free weekly digital Magazine

The Full Pelt Music Podcast – Episode 21 – The Pearl Harts

Find Full Pelt Music on YouTube!

Categories
Live Reviews

Lake Malice

Lake Malice

Waterfront Studio, Norwich

Saturday 9th March 2024

Follow us on Social Media

LAKE MALICE – NORWICH – LIVE REVIEW

📸 (C) Denis Gorbatov / Full Pelt Music

There isn’t many new bands currently with a similar level of buzz as Lake Malice. Impressive support shows and memorable festival slots have already won them a dedicated fan base and their debut EP won even more plaudits including winning our own ‘EP of the Year’ Award last year!

The band are presently in the midst of their debut headline tour and tonight that finds them at the Waterfront Studio in Norwich and there aren’t many tickets left. Once inside the venue you get a true sense of the anticipation with fans filling the front to save their spot, and soon those fans are greeted by local openers Omega Bad.

OMEGA BAD

Despite some good old fashioned technical difficulties the band leave it all out on the stage and deliver a compelling opening set. With moments of ferocity and finery diligently dispersed, there is plenty to enjoy during their time on stage and it’s very apparent that the crowd agrees.

Thecityisours

The opening third of this tour features TheCityIsOurs in the main support slot and there are clearly a few of their own fans in the audience this evening. The band have been chucking out some outrageously good new tunes recently and again expectation is high.

Sadly those gremlins that toyed with Omega Bad take things to another level and almost completely sabotage TheCityIsOurs. With only one song down, it reaches a point whereby all resign themselves to a missed opportunity. What transpires though is something special with guitarist Mikey Page serenading the fans with toned-down versions of songs which the crowd truly appreciate.

Thankfully the group are able to remove the gremlins in time to quickly deliver a handful of all-out rippers to finish their set and show the packed crowd what they should expect next time around. The band deserve credit for persevering and those in attendance will surely be waiting patiently for their return.

LAKE MALICE

Doors were early tonight and with an early finish due to a club night, time is running short. It doesn’t take long for our headliners to hit the stage and thankfully Lake Malice avoid any of the issues which plagued our opening acts.

If you were to put money on an act to breakout in the heavy world over the next year or so, you’d expect a lot of smart money to be put on Lake Malice. As we’ve touched on they’ve already done the legwork required to establish themselves as a must see act and now that message is being spread far and wide.

Tonight, they explode on to the stage with ‘Black Turbine’ and ‘Bloodbath’ showing their ungodly energy and whipping the audience into a frenzy. That level of intensity doesn’t drop at any point with even the two new tracks in the set going off big time.

That debut EP ‘Post-Genesis’ has shown what the group can achieve but as the evening progresses you can’t help but contemplate that this is only the beginning! Indeed, the future of the band feels huge and that future is going to be built on the foundations of their incredible live shows.

With just that one EP and a handful of standalone singles in their arsenal the set is relatively short, but at this unrelenting pace you’d probably need an oxygen tank to keep up with the band. The finale of ‘Stop the Party’ and ‘Blossom’ ends the evening in fierce and passionate fashion and word of these shows is surely bound to spread.

Share our review on Social Media

Watch Episode 45 of The Full Pelt Music Podcast with Lake Malice

The Full Pelt Music Podcast – Episode 45 – Lake Malice

Find Full Pelt Music on YouTube

Check out our free weekly digital Magazine

Categories
Live Reviews

Noah and the Loners

Noah and the Loners

Voodoo Daddy’s, Norwich

Thursday 15th February 2024

Follow us on Social Media

📸 (c) Denis Gorbatov / Full Pelt Music

NOAH AND THE LONERS – NORWICH – LIVE REVIEW

No matter where you look these days the world is a mess. The political landscape is bewildering, the news is horrifying, the economy is a disaster and communities are being divided for the benefit of those creating the mess in the first place.

It’s at times like these that communities need to stay resolute and, to steal from a popular post-punk band, use joy as an act of resistance. Punk has always led the way on this front and there are thankfully some great young bands out there building that sense of community back.

BROKEN PROMISES

It’s in venues like Voodoo Daddy’s in Norwich where this war is being waged, and that’s where we head tonight to witness the emerging force that is Noah and the Loners!

On first this evening are young sibling duo Broken Promises who embody the DIY punk ethos perfectly. Their career may be in the embryonic stages but their rough around the edges ruckus shows its own promise and gets a good response from the early attendees.

SETTLEMENTS

The main support slot is taken by local alt-rockers Settlements who represent a cleaner, more technical prospect compared to the rest of the bill. Their sound encompasses a number of influences but they give off real early-QOTSA vibes.

Yes, whilst they may appear and sound more straight-edge then our headliners, they still have an enchanting quirk that reminisces of Biffy Clyro at their ludicrous best. Their time on stage flies by, which is always a good sign and it will be interesting to see where the group can take their talents.

NOAH AND THE LONERS

There seems to be a consensus forming on where our headline act are going, with little doubt remaining that Noah and the Loners have everything needed to truly breakthrough. With their debut EP coming imminently, and a fanbase growing with every show, this has the potential to be one of those “I was there” moments!

The band only have four tracks available on Spotify but they already have a healthy crowd in a decent sized grassroots venue many of which are adorned in Noah and the Loners t-shirts. When you speak of good signs, this is absolutely one of the most trustworthy ones.

It doesn’t take long for the band to justify the hype as they blitz through their opening few songs with a youthful energy that will get even the most battle-tested old punk up and down the front.

And many do! The crowd clearly have their finger on the pulse and are up for a fun night of genuinely rallying punk rock stories of finding the way through the challenges faced by young people.

The closing run of ‘Hell of a Day’, ‘Crash Landing’ and ‘Protest Anger’ is as good as it gets and provides a glimmer of hope that for as long as communities such as this remain defiant, then there is still hope for the future.

Noah and the Loners will soon release that debut EP and those switched on enough to be here tonight will soon be able to proclaim “I was there” at the very beginning!

Share our review on Social Media

Check out our free weekly digital Magazine!

Find Full Pelt Music on YouTube!

Categories
Live Reviews

Laurence Jones

Laurence Jones

The Apex, Bury St. Edmunds

Sunday 4th February 2024

Follow us on Social Media

📸 (c) Denis Gorbatov / Full Pelt Music

LAURENCE JONES – BURY ST.EDMUNDS – LIVE REVIEW

The British Blues scene is booming and it’s young acts like Laurence Jones that are leading the charge. Tonight finds Jones taking over The Apex in Bury St. Edmunds, a beautiful venue which with its stylish look and unique ability to mix a predominantly seated audience with a handful of standing spaces make it an ideal venue for this style of music.

SWEET CRISIS

The venue whilst intimate gives a grand feeling to the show and makes it a more elegant evening than a standard dark and packed-in venue would. Something which opening act Sweet Crisis use to their advantage as they fill the room with their iridescent blues rock sound.

The Cambridge five-piece have the audience in the palm of their collective hands as they serenade them with graceful guitar licks and stylish songs such as ‘Ain’t Got Soul’ and ‘Misty Haze’ from their debut album, ‘Tricks On My Mind’. Their set is mesmerizingly good and flashes by in an instant. Indeed by the time they finish with the title track of that album they’ve etched themselves into the consciousness of the attentive audience.

LAURENCE JONES

A short turnaround soon finds our headliner Laurence Jones and his band arriving onstage to an anticipant applause. The group jump straight in with last year’s rocking single ‘You’re Not Alone’ which instantly showcases the controlled intensity that will define the evening.

A true power trio, Jones and co are able to bring his songs to life and add even greater depth to the likes of ‘Gone Away’ and ‘In Too Deep’. The threesome give off enormous Jimi Hendrix Experience vibes throughout which materialises with a stunning cover of ‘Voodoo Child (Slight Return)’ towards the back end of the ninety minute performance.

The bulk of the set tonight is made up of recent album, ‘Bad Luck & The Blues’ which sees Jones’ virtuosic guitar work at the fore. The album is a real modern meshing of blues and rock and the songs work incredibly well live. So much so that a good old fashioned standing ovation entices Jones to deliver an encore finale of Lead Belly favourite ‘Good Morning Blues’.

As fans file out of the venue they are left to reminisce about a superb evening of the blues with two acts waving the flag of British blues music. The scene really is flourishing and it will be interesting to see where the likes of Laurence Jones take it next.

Share our review on Social Media

Check out our free weekly digital Magazine!

Find Full Pelt Music on YouTube!

Categories
Live Reviews

Saint Agnes

Saint Agnes

Voodoo Daddy’s, Norwich

Tuesday 30th January 2024

Follow us on Social Media

📸 (c) Denis Gorbatov / Full Pelt Music

SAINT AGNES – NORWICH – LIVE REVIEW

It’s Independent Venue Week and our lifeblood of grassroots music venues are celebrating the community and experience that these rooms provide us. Our escape from the scary realities of life, the breeding ground for the next big thing, without independent music venues the whole ecosystem of the industry is broken.

It’s incredibly tough out there for these venues, it’s becoming more and more difficult to survive and that is adding to the pressures on young acts trying to prove themselves. Not all is lost though and it’s incredibly refreshing to see this show is sold out!

Tonight is exciting for a number of reasons, of course our headliners Saint Agnes are an enticing prospect as is our support act BEX, but tonight is also the first gig at this newly relocated venue.

Voodoo Daddy’s has been building its name over the past few years and has now given itself an upgrade across town. Unlike the old venue with its music room upstairs, here we head down into the basement and can see the makings for an essential stop off for new acts in Norwich!

BEX

Up first is BEX, who immediately and ferociously grabs the crowd by the horns and commands their attention. The three-piece create one hell of a noise as they conduct a valuable test on the buildings infrastructure!

Last year’s cutting debut EP ‘SCUM’ is at the heartbeat of her set tonight and the likes of ‘Filthy’, ‘Trust No One’ and ‘SPDYD4 K1NG’ truly create a primeval connection between BEX and the energetic audience. Let’s face it though, it’s hard not to let go when faced with the otherworldly force emanating from the stage.

BEX ends her set with a new single and you’d imagine that 2024 is set to be a big one for an artist with the youthful tenacity required to thrive in the current landscape.

SAINT AGNES

Another band that has been thriving of late is Saint Agnes, our headliners this evening. Last year saw the group launch their new era with ‘Bloodsuckers’ and they’ve been building momentum ever since. It’s always good to see a show like tonight sell out and that indicates that their support slots with the likes of Skindred and their festival appearances are paying dividends in terms of new fans.

Of course everyone knows the band here tonight and as they propel themselves into opening duo ‘Bloodsuckers’ and ‘Animal’, you instantly feel the intensity levels turned up a notch.

The crowd have been up for it all night and they really ramp the energy levels up as the evening progresses. ‘Bloodsuckers’ really is an album built to be enjoyed live and the likes of ‘I Mean Nothing to You’ and ‘At War With Myself’ go down particularly well.

The Saint Agnes live experience is a visceral, in your face one and singer Kitty Austen is able to enthral the audience with mystifying ease. Indeed, the new breed of rock band is able to create a sense of something bigger than just the music, be that the community around the band or the aesthetic and presence of their artistry.

Our headliners seem to be well on the way with both of those points and again if you were looking to put your money on rocks next stars you’d have to think it’s more than worth a punt on Saint Agnes!

Share this review on Social Media

Read our review of ‘Bloodsuckers’ from Saint Agnes

The Full Pelt Music Podcast – Episode 32 – Saint Agnes

Find Full Pelt Music on YouTube!

Categories
Live Reviews

Slam Dunk Winter Jam

Slam Dunk Winter Jam

Waterfront, Norwich

Thursday 25th January 2024

Follow us on Social Media

SLAM DUNK WINTER JAM – NORWICH – LIVE REVIEW

📸 (C) Denis Gorbatov / Full Pelt Music

January is always a touring wasteland, with most fans nursing festive hangovers and following a month of sobriety. This year however Slam Dunk have decided to kickstart 2024 and truly get the party started with their ‘Winter Jam’ Tour!

MILLIE MANDERS AND THE SHUTUP

Tonight the circus rolls into the Waterfront in Norwich and literally getting the party started are local favourites Millie Manders and the Shutup! The opening slot on a four band bill with doors as early as 18:30, may not usually be all that it’s cracked up to be. Manders and co though have absolutely no problem whatsoever in getting the crowd up to the desired level.

Manders and co have a strong following tonight and they make the most of their short opening set with the likes of ‘Rebound’ and ‘Bitter’ getting everyone dancing and singing along. ‘Bacchus’ encourages everyone to “have another drink”, and not being the only drink themed song of the evening probably ruins a fair few dry January’s!

The band are a force of fun-inducing nature and are the ideal band to open up a line-up such as this. Equally our next act [spunge] are well versed in getting a crowd to liven-up with their infectious pop-punk revelry.

[spunge]

Songs such as ‘Jump on Demand’ and ‘Skanking Song’ are built with a purpose and the Norwich crowd are more than happy to oblige this evening. When you throw in a cover of ‘Monkey Man’ and the bands signature song ‘Kicking Pigeons’, you get another super fun set from a band that can only be described as underground national treasures!

TEENAGE BOTTLEROCKET

The bands selected by Slam Dunk for this tour are all regulars at the summer spectacular, except for the main support act Teenage Bottlerocket. The group did play this past summer but they are a much rarer prospect for UK fans and the good folk of Norwich certainly seem appreciative of the chance to bang their heads to their intense punk rockers.

As expected, the pace is unrelenting throughout their time on stage and people’s ear drums may take a little while to recover. That’s down to the pure velocity of their sonic onslaught which is rough, ready and able to hypnotise a punk from 1000 metres!

ZEBRAHEAD

The changeovers are relatively quick tonight which doesn’t allow much respite for the audience, but that also means that the four band bill breezes by. Three fun sets down already, and the crowd are ready for their pop punk heroes Zebrahead to bring proceedings to a close.

The group are more than capable of topping a line-up such as this and more than prepared to deliver the knockout blow that will destroy any remaining festive hangovers. They kick off their set with ‘When Both Sides Suck, We’re All Winners’, ‘No Tomorrow’ and ‘Hello Tomorrow’ which sets their pace early on.

Again, as expected, because you know what you are going to get on the Slam Dunk Winter Jam, that pace never really drops. There is no lethargy in the crowd and their hour or so on the Waterfront stage is a joyous celebration of both Zebrahead and the pop punk movement. Whilst the genre may be maligned by certain sections of the musical elite – a night like this will always produce a fun evening of frivolity!

An encore of ‘All My Friends Are Nobodies’ and ‘Falling Apart’ is the perfect cherry on top of the pop punk cake. Tonight that four-tiered cake has been tasty as hell and Slam Dunk have perhaps baked something up which could become as traditional as dry January!

Share our review on Social Media

Find Full Pelt Music on YouTube!

Check out our two Podcasts!