Vol. 63
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Full Pelt Magazine
Tag: Norwich
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Vol. 59
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Kids In Glass Houses
Waterfront, Norwich
Wednesday 6th November 2024
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📸 (c) Denis Gorbatov / Full Pelt Music
KIDS IN GLASS HOUSES – NORWICH – LIVE REVIEW
It’s a damp and dreary Wednesday night in November, so where else would self-respecting music fans in Norwich be other than the vital Waterfront venue in the heart of the city?
After all, there is a bumper line-up on offer this evening with reformed headliners Kids In Glass Houses bringing with them not one but two of the best young bands on the circuit!
MOUTH CULTURE
The first of those is Leicester’s Mouth Culture hot on the heels of their latest EP, ‘Whatever the Weather’ and an appearance on our own The Full Pelt Music Podcast!
This is a group who really sound like they are coming into their own, and even with a short time on stage tonight, it’s clear that the audience appreciate what they’ve seen. With a throwback groove with a modern energy, the band are undeniably on a pathway to much bigger things.
HIMALAYAS
Our second opening group HIMALAYAS are a band that many have felt are on that same pathway. The band are now dropping new music following the release of their 2023 debut album, ‘From Hell to Here’, and it’s recent single, ‘What If…?’, that stands out most tonight.
The band play hard and fast this evening and certainly seem to have added a little extra edge to their performance over the last few years. Whether that added impetus will keep them on an upwards trajectory or not, only time will tell but for sure they remain a viable proposition when looking for an engaging live act.
KIDS IN GLASS HOUSES
It’s soon time for our headliners this evening to take to the stage and having returned with a nostalgic run celebrating their superb debut album, ‘Smart Casual’, Kids In Glass Houses are now fully embracing their second coming.
How does a band do so without falling fowl of becoming nothing but another nostalgia act? Release new music of course! This tour celebrates their recently released fifth studio album, the flamboyant ‘Pink Flamingo’.
This record in and of itself if a nod to times gone by with its 80’s aesthetic but also feels like a big step up in ambition from a band who perhaps feel like they have nothing to lose. ‘Theme from Pink Flamingo’ and ‘Change Your Mind’ kickstart proceedings this evening and show a band with renewed zip and swagger.
Fan favourites ‘Give Me What I Want’ and ‘Dance All Night’ then ramp things up a notch or two before a couple more new tracks, ‘Rothko Painting’ and ‘Vulnerable’ again emphasise that this is a Kids In Glass Houses enjoying themselves once more.
That is perhaps the overall takeaway from the evening, that after a decade away this group of five friends are back on stage doing what they were meant to be doing.
The likes of ‘Peace’, ‘Easy Tiger’ and ‘Saturday’ all serve as reminders of the impact the band had first time around, and as ‘Matters At All’ concludes a very enjoyable evening fans will be left to hope that ‘Pink Flamingo’ is just the start of round two with Kids In Glass Houses!
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Watch Episode 58 of The Full Pelt Music Podcast with guests Mouth Culture
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Vol. 58
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October Drift
Waterfront Studio, Norwich
Sunday 27th October 2024
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OCTOBER DRIFT – NOrwich – live Review
📸 (c) Denis Gorbatov / Full Pelt Music
It feels fitting that we are here to see October Drift because everything is feeling rather autumnal in Norwich this evening – it is dark, slightly damp, leaves are on the ground and The Waterfront is decked out in its finest Halloween decorations. The only scary thing this evening though is the sheer talent on stage!
CARPARK
Opening up proceedings on this Sunday evening are London trio Carpark, who may not have been known to many when they walked onto the compact stage, but you can be damn sure that by the time they left everyone in the venue had found their new favourite band!
With an alt-pop sound lifted straight from the turn of the millennium, the trio are instantly captivating, and it really doesn’t take long for the audience to realise that they are watching a real treat.
The likes of ‘Blow Me Outta the Water’ and ‘Happy on Mars’ indicate a band ready for much bigger things. You certainly will not have been tricked if you leave expecting them to be moving up the scale of venues in the coming years as more people learn their name!
OCTOBER DRIFT
That is of course if all was right and fair in the world, but alas the music industry is unforgiving and unfair. Case in point are our headliners this evening, October Drift, who really do deserve much greater success.
With the recent release of their third album, ‘Blame the Young’, the band have completed one of the most impressive trios of initial albums in the past decade. Much akin to Carpark earlier, their live show is an unforgettable experience – if you’ve seen the band once, you will return time and time again.
Tonight, as per usual with this band, is a visceral experience where you almost feel at one with them. This is an immersive experience, and the group can make a crowd of any size feel like it’s an intimate one on one session.
From the get-go with ‘Demons’ and ‘Tyrannosaurus Wreck’, it is new album, ‘Blame the Young’ that takes centre stage. Whilst on record the album is probably their most sonically diverse collection, on stage the songs all dynamically exude the usual passion and energy which makes an October Drift show such an outer body experience!
With frontman Kiran Roy spending ample time performing from within the equally as passionate crowd, it isn’t hard to understand why this feels like such a shared encounter. Older tracks such as ‘Insects’ and ‘Cherry Red’ still sound massive, but it is those newer tracks such as ‘Blame the Young’ itself and latest single ‘Wallflower’ which standout this evening.
It has been another special night in the company of October Drift, and with the added bonus of Carpark this show will last long in the memory. All we can say to close out this article is don’t sleep on these two fantastic bands!
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Watch Episode 56 of The Full Pelt Music Podcast with guests October Drift
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Vol. 55
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Pale Waves
The Waterfront, Norwich
Thursday 3rd October 2024
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PALE WAVES – NOrwich – live review
If the length of the queue outside The Waterfront in Norwich is anything to go by, then anticipation is high for the opening night of the ‘Smitten’ tour!
Hot on the heels of the release of their fourth album, Pale Waves are back on the road and many shows on this run are sold out as fans clamour to see how these charming love songs translate to the stage.
SWIM SCHOOL
Before then however, the packed venue is treated to an opening act making waves of their own. swim school are one of those bands that have built some good early momentum and now need to ensure that they capitalise on their potential.
Despite a rather polite Norwich crowd this evening, you are still able to see the impression that the trio leave on the crowd. Singer Alice Johnson quips that they have been referred to in the past as a “sh*t version of Pale Waves” before adding “hopefully we aren’t so sh*t anymore”. Tonight the likes of ‘give me a reason why’ and ‘see red’ certainly dispel any such thoughts. Instead you are left further rooting for the band to succeed!
PALE WAVES
That concept is evidently ingrained into the fanbase of Pale Waves. Again, as they arrive onstage you can see and feel the special connection they share with their audience. It’s a beautiful thing to witness and even when kicking off with two new tracks, ‘Perfume’ and ‘Not a Love Song’, the crowd sings back every single word.
‘There’s a Honey’ and ‘Change’ then take it up a notch or two and by the time Pale Waves deliver rarer number ‘Drive’ the symbiosis between fan and artist is complete. This remains extant throughout the rest of the performance and ensures an uplifting atmosphere is enjoyed by all.
We spoke in our recent review of ‘Smitten’ about the prolificacy of Pale Waves, and as the set progresses the sheer amount of standout tracks that the band now possess is another testament to this.
Particularly noteworthy is that the new tracks can undeniably hold their own amongst old favourites ‘Television Romance’, ‘Eighteen’, ‘Easy’ and ‘She’s My Religion’. Finally, an encore of ‘Glasgow’ and ‘Jealousy’ is more than enough to send the audience back home happy.
It has been an engaging night with both acts delivering on the promise of the evening. Pale Waves are operating at a consistently high level across their studio and stage outputs and swim school are hot on their heels!
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When Rivers Meet
Epic Studios, Norwich
Thursday 9th May 2024
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WHEN RIVERS MEET – NORWICH – ALBUM REVIEW
📸 (c) Denis Gorbatov / Full Pelt Music
The sun is out today in Norwich and the city’s rock fans are out en masse as well, queuing up early to catch one of the new faces of classic rock, When Rivers Meet, live at the fantastic facility that is Epic Studios.
DUSK BROTHERS
It doesn’t take long after doors opening for our opening act to take to the stage and start making some real good noise! Dusk Brothers immediately parade their unique homemade setup, including petrol cans and kebab shop oven sheets, before showing what an incredible racket the duo can make.
Imagine if Seasick Steve had a twin brother and had gone through a metal phase in his youth and you’ll be close to picturing how the Dusk Brothers present. Their Bluesy Americana and quick witted charm makes for a highly enjoyable forty minutes and the audience tonight is clearly appreciative, giving the duo a rousing ovation at the end of their set.
Dusk Brothers are well worth a deep dive and the band highlight throughout their set tonight that they host regular livestreams. This is noteworthy also for the correlation with our headliners When Rivers Meet, who made their own name during the pandemic with a series of popular livestreams!
WHEN RIVERS MEET
Those innovative sessions gained engagement and traction for the band when live shows were taken away, but since the return of live music, that momentum has only continued to build for the husband and wife duo.
Playing live as a four-piece, Grace and Aaron Bond bring their songs to life this evening through skilful musicianship and stunning visuals aided by the set-up at Epic. The show has a special feel, as the band return to their original home county and the venue provides a striking background.
In just five years the band has already released three albums and the latest, ‘Aces Are High’ is front and centre this evening with all ten tracks featuring in the lengthy setlist. This is a great sign of faith in the quality of the album and that faith is indeed well placed, with the fans already lapping up the likes of ‘Play My Game’, ‘Infected’ and ‘Perfect Stranger’.
Whilst aligned with the “New Wave of Classic Rock” movement, the folk aesthetic that runs through the threads of When Rivers Meet helps to set them apart from the pack. A stripped back portion of the set is a particular highlight this evening as the obvious chemistry between the Bond’s shines through.
Despite their relatively short touring life, When Rivers Meet know how to connect with their audience and there is a kind of awe that befalls attendees this evening as they relish in the talent emanating from the stage.
An encore of ‘Golden’ and ‘Did I Break the Law’ provides a fitting finale to a polished performance from a band still seemingly going from strength to strength. With the tease of new music mentioned tonight, you can’t help but be excited to see what comes next.
Whenever that new music does come, you can safely say that on the evidence of tonight the show that follows is sure to take things to another level once again.
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Kira Mac
Waterfront Studio, Norwich
Sunday 5th May 2024
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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.
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Creeper
Epic Studios, Norwich
Monday 18th March 2024
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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.
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