Vol. 130
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📷Denis Gorbatov
Sometimes as a live music fan you attend a gig where for a moment time stops around you and it dawns on you that you are witnessing something special.
Those packed like sardines into Voodoo Daddy’s in Norwich this week experience one of those moments when the entire crowd understand that they are the lucky ones. After all the venue is fully sold out and the next time our headliners come to town they will almost certainly be in a much bigger room.
Voodoo Daddy’s is a throwback underground venue (literally) and is always a great setting for a hot and sweaty rock gig. Norwich is a great music city and local openers Crying In Colour typify the burgeoning music scene which is again experiencing renewed vigour.
The band bring an early energy to proceedings, and their spirit is reciprocated by the audience, many of whom already seem familiar with the band. Even those uninitiated are able to sing along to a rocked-up cover of Vance Joy’s megahit ‘Riptide’.
With a style incorporating varied influences, the band appear to have a good foundation developing as they cultivate a sound of their own. Given they only released their first single under a year ago, it will be fascinating to see the journey that they embark on.
It’s been quite the journey already for the tour’s main support act Overgrown – again quite literally as the band hail from north of the border. Hitting the road with Mouth Culture is their first proper tour and will be an experience that will assist them enormously in their formative years.
This is a band who are already garnering much attention with their five released songs all doing great numbers on the usual streaming platforms. The live realm is entirely different however so shows like tonight will be incredibly important to their development.
Clearly though on the evidence of tonight, they are quick learners! Creating a fantastic shoegazey din that swallows the venue, they are able to cut through with emotive lyrics and an engaging performance that is nearly hypnotic.
Overgrown are undoubtedly another band that need to be followed with intent!
After a bit of a breather, it’s then time for our headliners Mouth Culture to take to the Voodoo Daddy’s stage which with its cage design feels like an old school ECW show. The rabid fans are almost as feral as those 90’s wrestling fans and the band have the talent necessary to harness the atmosphere in order to create that special moment in time.
Opening duo ‘On and On’ and ‘Dead In Love’ instantly showcase a band smashing through barriers and making a real statement. Musically and vocally the band sound massive and the aesthetics of the venue and passion of the crowd elevate the show to truly memorable status.
Despite not having a debut album under their belt yet, the band are able to write a setlist which is packed full of early favourites and more recent standouts. In total the band deliver sixteen tracks and play over an hour as they prove themselves capable already of delivering a value for money headline performance.
From the quicker and heavier numbers to the handful of slower more tender moments, the show flows well and maintains the buzz in the venue. There really is magic in the air this evening as well as a considerable amount of sweat!
The obvious big moments such as ‘Sharkbait’ and ‘Ratbag’ are really big, but no moment feels wasted. Indeed, when the fans exit the venue and the cooler evening air hits their faces, it’s the entire show including the supports that everybody is raving about.
The consensus amongst those in attendance undeniably being that Mouth Culture are destined for bigger things. To go back to the earlier pro wrestling analogy, fans leave lucky enough to have seen the band causing a ruckus in the world of extreme, knowing that in a few years they will be headlining WrestleMania!
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📸 (c) Denis Gorbatov / Full Pelt Music
Voodoo Daddy’s in Norwich really is a great little venue for an old school rock n roll show, so it’s a good thing that we are here tonight for just that!
There are three bands on offer tonight with our headliners The Pearl Harts celebrating the recent release of their latest album, ‘Love, Chaos’.
Up first are locals Collars, who do a fantastic job in getting the early crowd warmed up. The unique duo have something a little different to offer, which is always important when there are so many acts out there battling for a limited audience.
That shines through tonight and clearly the audience here in the venue appreciate the experience. The duo are able to control the crowd well and convey their sonic goods with effortless aplomb.
The main support for this tour comes from upcoming rockers HotWax who take things to the next level with their assured performance. The trio play a selection of tracks from recently released EP, ‘A Thousand Times’, which sound enormous live.
The likes of ‘Treasure’, the title-track and set closer ‘Rip It Out’ demonstrate why the hype train is starting to pick up for a band with a big future. The band play with experience beyond their years and certainly make an impression on the thrilled crowd.
Soon enough it’s time for our headliners to take to the stage and as soon as they do, you feel the presence of stars. The Pearl Harts have just followed up their stunning debut album with another sensational collection of fun rockers.
The duo completely own the stage and ‘Baby Chaos’, ‘Pullin’ My Brains Out’ and ‘Lara’ set the tone early for the rest of the night. Polished yet rough and ready, The Pearl Harts somehow capture the juxtaposition of the two with ease; singles ‘More’ and ‘Hypocritical’ showcasing this next.
There is a fierce power in the duo but this is seized and presented with a real shine. The crowd are almost left in awe of the ferocious majesty on display as the band plough through ‘Suck It Up’, ‘Gold’, ‘Wild Me’ and ‘Different Kinda Girl’.
On record The Pearl Harts are spectacular, but on stage they are simply phenomenal. Even broken strings can’t stop them and ‘Hurt’ and ‘Hit The Bottle’ quickly follow reminding fans of the quality of their debut album, ‘Glitter and Spit’.
The intense finale of ‘Black Blood’ is enough to ensure the audience leave with huge smiles on their faces. After all, they’ve just caught three very good bands in a great little music venue. Surely there’s not a better way to spend a Bank Holiday?
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All 📸 (C) Full Pelt Music / Denis Gorbatov
It’s once again Independent Venue Week and it’s a fantastic time to celebrate the integral network of grassroots venues that play such a pivotal role in the music ecosystem. It bears repeating – no local venues, no opportunities for new talent and ultimately no superstars.
Tonight we head out to one such venue, the fantastic Voodoo Daddy’s. Pizza, beer and live music are a great mix and that’s exactly what you’ll find tucked down a vibrant Norwich alley.
You’ll also find some brilliant entertainment! Up first tonight are Ecto Peach who cross the border from Ipswich. There’s no football rivalry here though and the already packed venue gives the group a warm welcome.
That welcome is returned tenfold with a superb performance from the tight and energetic four-piece. A short set of catchy rockers, the band are evidence of why it’s ever so important to get to shows early!
The mood changes next as songwriter (the best in the world some would say!) Ben Brown graces the intimate stage surrounded by fairy lights. He proceeds to serenade the audience with delicate melodies and comical stage banter.
A change of pace indeed but one which the audience takes in their stride and welcomes with open arms. Brown will certainly leave with more fans than when he arrived after a delightful little show.
Finally though it’s time for those fans filling the venue with Pet Needs t-shirts to enjoy the band of the moment! Pet Needs are one of the brightest prospects in the country right now; after all they did win our ‘Discover’ New Artist of the Year Award for 2022!
Yes, crowds are getting larger, venues are getting bigger and t-shirt sales are booming. The reason? Well, perhaps you should pop along to a show and see for yourselves, but given that it’s our job to tell you we’ll keep it simple! If you could bottle the energy of the band to sell, you’d be a Billionaire overnight.
It takes more than energy to be a great band though and two albums in, the band already have belters for days. Both of their albums have produced multiple live staples which exemplify the quality of song writing within the band. These songs are catchy as hell with sing-a-longs infectiously mandated at Pet Needs shows.
The setlist tonight is well structured and represents a good mix of their albums. The pace never relents and the audience laps up tracks such as ‘Pavlovian’, ‘Spirals’, ‘Punk Isn’t Dead; It’s Just Up For Sale’ and ‘Toothpaste’.
The highlight tonight though is new track, ‘Yeah!’, which whets the appetite for what’s to come next. The future is clearly very bright for Pet Needs, and tonight has been a great night for those making the effort.
There are great nights like this happening all across the country every night of the week. So this Independent Venue Week, please remember folks that an independent venue isn’t just for Independent Venue Week – it’s for life!
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All 📸 (C) Denis Gorbatov / Full Pelt Music
Voodoo Daddy’s is tucked away in the side streets of Norwich’s city centre. Inside you are greeted with a cool pizza bar downstairs and an intimate music venue upstairs which is the scene for the show tonight.
Only announced recently, this show is part of a small run of dates headlined by PET NEEDS under the banner of the Nick Alexander Memorial Trust (NAMT). If you are not familiar with NAMT then you really should be, as the charity does incredible work helping disadvantaged and marginalised sectors of society access to music.
For more information on NAMT click here
Opening the evenings proceedings is a short solo Morning Crush set, which captivates the early attendees and finishes with a poignant new song. Shortly thereafter (Paul) Henshaw graces the stage and serenades us with a selection of rousing acoustic numbers. A fine start to what promises to be a great night.
Things get turned up a notch soon after as the hard rocking Ghosts of Men storm the stage. Despite some good old fashioned technical difficulties, the duo still produces an entertaining performance, raising the noise levels in preparedness for our headliners.
Those headliners, as mentioned, are Colchester group PET NEEDS. Fresh from signing with Xtra Mile Recordings the band has graced many a stage with labelmates such as Frank Turner, Beans On Toast and Skinny Lister.
They’ve been honing their craft and nights like this will help forge their cohesiveness and delivery. It may not be the biggest show, but the bands appetite is ravenous for a rock show.
Tracks like ‘Kayak’ and ‘Pavlovian’ instantly build the audience engagement and the sing-a-longs continue throughout their set with ‘Punk Isn’t Dead (It’s Just Up For Sale)’, ‘Toothpaste’ and ‘Tracey Emin’s Bed’ all highlights.
It’s a short, sharp set from a band with huge potential and the encore of ‘Overcompensating’ sends attendees off into the Norwich night delighted with what they’ve just been a part of.
That is the independent small venue scene, the DIY punk scene, the support fantastic causes scene, the just supporting new, exiting music scene. As we emerge from the pandemic, get yourselves back to these venues, find the acts of the future and support real music!
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Watch our ‘Discover’ New Music Podcast with guests PET NEEDS!