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Live Reviews

VUKOVI

Waterfront Studio, Norwich

Tuesday 12th October 2021

VUKOVI

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Have you ever left a show with that euphoric feeling, knowing that you’ve just witnessed one of those special life-affirming shows that remind you why you love live music? SPOILER ALERT: this was one of those shows!

Let’s unpack the evening from the beginning then shall we? It’s cold, winter as they say is coming, but that means gig season is in full flow. The venue for the evening is the Waterfront Studio in Norwich, which is a great little room above the main venue and regularly plays host to these extra special intimate shows.

Tonight is sold out with roughly 200 eager music fans in attendance for a bill set to feature 3 bands all with growing reputations and raring to get back out on the road after the pain of the past 18+ months. This show also happens to be the first night of the tour with the element of the unknown thrown in.

Read our review of Download Pilot Festival

First on stage is a band that has been honing their craft for a few years now and appear ready to push on to the next level, Delaire the Liar. They are fast, heavy and archaic and ensure that the crowd are warmed up suitably having been stood out in the cold a few minutes before.

Then it’s time to bring the riffs as Press To MECO arrive on stage for their first show with their new line-up. Trusted fan favourite ‘A Quick Fix’ kicks off an impactful set before the band bring their latest album, ‘Transmute’ to life on stage.

Read our review of ‘Transmute’ from Press To MECO

‘A Test of Our Resolve’ sounds absolutely massive live and deserves to see the band gracing much bigger stages in the future. The crowd are really up for it tonight and as the band close out their short but oh so sweet set with ‘Gold’ and ‘Sabotage’, everybody is left wanting more from the band.

Press To MECO were always a force to be reckoned with live and this new line-up appears to have taken them up another notch or two. So, at this point the evening is progressing extremely well and is already a great gig, but we said it was special didn’t we?

There is still one act left and that act is VUKOVI. From the moment the band take to the stage to the moment they leave, VUKOVI have the audience in the palm of their hands. There must be something in the air, because a cold Tuesday night in Norwich has no right to have a crowd so up for it.

Over the next hour or so the band blast out a set of fast-paced, highly moshable songs that can only really be described these days as bangers! The control of the stage exerted by singer Janine Shilstone is uncanny and helps to make that special atmosphere needed for this to become an elite level gig.

WATCH ‘HURT’ FROM VUKOVI ON YOUTUBE
VUKOVI – ‘HURT’

The likes of ‘C.L.A.U.D.I.A’, ‘HURT’, ‘Run/Hide’ and ‘La Di Da’ are incredible tonight but really it’s the whole set that stands out and ensures that fans are sent out back into the cold feeling warm inside.

All three bands brought it tonight and the audience reciprocated in kind. With this only being night one of the tour, do yourself a favour and grab a ticket to one of the shows, get down there early and savour three bands all proving that the future is bright for British rock music!

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Live Reviews

Manic Street Preachers

Cambridge Corn Exchange

Monday 11th October 2021

Manic Street Preachers

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MANIC STREET PREACHERS – CAMBRIDGE CORN EXCHANGE – LIVE REVIEW

Manic Street Preachers are a legendary act at this point so it’s no surprise that their show at the Corn Exchange in Cambridge is sold out well in advance. A well-received new album doesn’t hurt either and that’s exactly what the band has in the shape of ‘The Ultra Vivid Lament’!

Read our review of ‘The Ultra Vivid Lament’ from Manic Street Preachers

Before the band grace the stage however we get the support act, Low Hummer. Seasoned gig goers have all experienced unknown support acts that surpass expectations, and sadly also those that sound like they’ve never picked up an instrument before that night. Thankfully tonight it’s the former as Low Hummer deliver an fantastic opening performance.

Confident and assured the band are given a generous 40 minute opening set and they make the very most of it with a performance that will have won over many new fans from the packed audience. Low Hummer, remember the name, definitely ones to watch.

There really isn’t any surprise however in what comes next, as Manic Street Preachers have grown their reputation on the back of live shows. Starting tonight with ‘Motorcycle Emptiness’, ‘Orwellian’ and ‘Your Love Alone Is Not Enough’ they instantly bring the crowd into play.

There are plenty of sing-a-long anthems to get through tonight with ‘You Stole the Sun From My Heart’, ‘Everything Must Go’ and ‘If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next’ all coming in the first half of the show.

Tonight is also an opportunity to witness the glory of some of the best from ‘The Ultra Vivid Lament’. ‘The Secret He Had Missed’, ‘Still Snowing in Sapporo’ and ‘Complicated Illusions’ all shining in amongst the established fan favourites.

WATCH ‘THE SECRET HE HAD MISSED’ ON YOUTUBE
Manic Street Preachers – ‘The Secret He Had Missed’

As the evening gets deep the band then break out a cover of Guns N Roses hit ‘Sweet Child o’ Mine’. Why you might ask, but this is the Manic Street Preachers and as we touched on in our album review of ‘The Ultra Vivid Lament’ they have earned the right to do whatever they want.

There is still the likes of ‘Tsunami’, ‘You Love Us’ and ‘A Design For Life’ left to bring the evening to a close and as always send the crowd home happy. Long live the Manic Street Preachers!

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Live Reviews

Royal Blood

UEA LCR, Norwich

Friday 27th August 2021

Royal Blood Tour Poster

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ROYAL BLOOD – UEA LCR, NORWICH – LIVE REVIEW

With Royal Blood set to headline some of the first festivals to take place as live music returns, the duo announced a run of intimate warm-up shows. As expected all these shows sold out instantly including tonight at the UEA LCR in Norwich.

With an enormous sense of anticipation surrounding the venue, fans were first treated to a short and intense support slot from Tigercub. The band preview their latest album, ‘As Blue as Indigo’ with ‘Stop Beating on My Heart (Like A Bass Drum)’ and ‘In the Autumn of My Years’ going down particularly well with the already packed audience.

Sometimes with such a high level of expectation for the headline act, support bands can fall short, but tonight Tigercub prove their own credibility and win over some new fans in the process.

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Soon enough it’s time for Royal Blood to take to the elevated stage. Kicking off with ‘Typhoons’ and ‘Boilermaker’ the band are backed by a subtle yet highly effective light show that helps to bring this new material to life.

Yes, Royal Blood are another band to release a new album during the absence of live music. Absence clearly making the heart grow fonder for both band and audience, as the UEA dancefloor descends into chaos from the opening note to the very last.

Material from ‘Typhoons’ garners great reactions from an eager audience who are ready and willing to lap up whatever the band can offer. Well, with three albums behind them now, the band can offer an endless stream of fan favourites.

Tonight sees a mix from across their catalogue with ‘Lights Out’, ‘Come On Over’, ‘Little Monster’ and ‘How Did We Get So Dark?’ filling the first half of the show with memorable moments.

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Mike Kerr and Ben Thatcher always have had a knack for creating magic both on record and on stage but tonight has that extra special feel. Perhaps it’s the atmosphere flamed by the return of live music or perhaps the duo have spent their downtime perfecting their craft. Whatever it is it’s very clear that Royal Blood are simply on another level.

‘Trouble’s Coming’, ‘Oblivion’ and ‘Loose Change’ sound absolutely huge before ‘Ten Tonne Skeleton’ and ‘Limbo’ cause pandemonium in Norwich. The encore of ‘Out of the Black’ and ‘Figure It Out’ bring it all home, remind us of what we’ve all been missing and demonstrate just why Royal Blood are now festival headliners.

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Read our review on ‘Transmute’ from Press To MECO