Live Review: Avec Sans @ The Waterfront Studio, Norwich

Words originally for Outline Magazine

L-R: Jack St. James, Alice Fox

It’s been a bad week, hasn’t it? The weather’s been rubbish, Coldplay are headlining Glastonbury and I’m told there was some big political debate going on as well that people aren’t happy about. So for a much needed music fix, where better to head than The Waterfront Studio for a dash of electro-pop from Avec Sans, and a few local faces too.

A little too much Pyramid Stage iPlayer action meant that I missed Ginny Dix and Abigail Blake, but the solo pianist and harpist have both proven themselves mesmerising at past performances. Heading up the support bill, Maya Law brings her soulful blend of R&B guitar/vocals to a crowd made up of friends and fans. Original material and a signature Amy Winehouse cover flow smoothly from one to another, Law’s sultry vocals enticing the room with a beautiful simplicity throughout. If you haven’t caught this rising talent live yet, stick her on your list, she’s fab.

Tonight’s headliners Avec Sans are unmistakeably sleek in their image. Fronting the duo Alice Fox sports a classic pop star look, an impressive platinum bob serving as the focal point of her appearance. Jack St James flanks her on stage within a three-sided structure of cables, buttons, a laptop and a myriad of touch pads from which he produces the bulk of the band’s music. He wears all black including a baseball cap, in case he needs to swing a bat at any point during the show, I guess. As the pounding introduction to When You Go cuts through the smoke, the front row of his devices light up in an LED rainbow, like vintage video games. It’s an electro-pop performance at its purest, a modern take on 80s clichés running pristinely through the moody synths and the stage décor. An almost unrecognisable take on Bon Iver’s Perth comes second, replacing folky pomp with a striking flood of echoes and churning sequencers.

Original material sees the performance quickly lose its novelty, however. The mid-noughties pop sound that the group encapsulates – which would sit neatly next to the likes of Little Boots, Goldfrapp and Sophie Ellis-Bextor – is polished and professional, but simply ten years behind the curve. Furthermore, St James’ repeated slamming down on artificial instruments flushes out every sense of depth that the songs have on record. It’s the Jack Garratt paradigm – decent tunes, no performability. The sound is two-dimensional: loud and embracing yes, but flat and uninteresting in every other aspect. Poor crowd interaction from Fox, who stares blankly into the middle distance when she’s not singing, makes for a dull experience for those of us less familiar with the group’s material.

By the end of the set the audience are clearly losing interest. Shiver is a generic and soupy, hinting at great dance anthem potential but turning out more like a half-melted ice sculpture than a glitzy marble statue. Heartbreak Hi is a wispy copy of the studio version, but with weaker vocals. And another cover – this time Kate Bush’s unbeatable masterpiece Running Up that Hill – closes proceedings in a frankly blasphemous mess that points fully and unreservedly to the ‘one trick pony’ label.

I wouldn’t write Avec Sans off completely, but it’s a poor first Norwich show from these middle-of-the-road performers.

Twitter: Avec Sans / Maya Law

Soundcloud: Avec Sans / Maya Law

Live Review: Lisbon @ The Waterfront Studio, Norwich

Words originally for Outline Magazine

Newcastle newcomers Lisbon have found themselves on the fringes of mainstream success with a string of fruity singles boosting the hype around their impressive touring schedule. But after a string of dates in January, the four piece hit up Norwich on their latest leg of touring for a notably less exciting evening.

VYNCE (that’s with a ‘y’, as we’re reminded to an almost patronising degree) are our main support. The Merseyside quartet describe themselves on Facebook as “poppy indie”, a vague and cringe-worthy phrase which more than summarises their performance tonight. Their watered down sugar pop is catchy and performed tightly, but originality is clearly a concept lost to them. And where other acts from the northeast – see Clean Cut Kid for example – get by on charisma, VYNCE also lose marks. Frontman Peter Pegasiou just about looks the part with his hair in a bun and a leopard print shirt hanging from his shoulders, but his lifeless stage presence adds to the long list of things that bore me about this act.

A gig is not good when the music is the least enjoyable aspect. Indiscernible pop nonsense is what Lisbon deliver tonight by the bucket load, the singles Shark and Vice barely standing out against the Bastille meets Coasts meets X Factor brand of lowest common denominator noise that these guys produce. There’s a song called Banana for crying out loud. It’s introduced by the question, “Are you ready for Banana?” How can I take this seriously? Bless Matthew Varty for giving showmanship a go, though. Leading the four piece, he nails the ad-libs, getting a clap along going here, an arm wave there, dishing out his best thanks between tracks. But too much of the performance is offered by lights and effects, which compensate for the bland music we’re subjected to.

It’s worth pointing out that the majority of Lisbon’s fan base are young teenagers who, on a school night in mid May, will be stuck at home stressing about GCSEs and other such trivial pursuits. So congratulations Lisbon, you’ve also failed on the scheduling part of the job, but I’ll let you off because you yourselves look like you should still be sat in a musty gym somewhere trying to recall whether mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell. Sorry kids, but a flashy stage introduction and coloured lights that sync to the beat of your kick drum isn’t enough to save your painfully empty show tonight. Come back during the summer holidays and maybe give it another shot. 

Facebook: Lisbon / VYNCE

Twitter: Lisbon / VYNCE

Live Review: Rat Boy @ The Waterfront, Norwich

Words originally for Outline Magazine

Rat Boy is the most unexpected breakthrough act of this year. The garage meets hip-hop project is the brainchild of Essex born-and-bred Jordan Cardy who after a spot on the NME Awards Tour this year, and a top 10 place in the BBC’s annual Sound Of… poll, has developed a superstar worthy fanbase from just one mixtape and a couple of singles. Pre-doors at The Waterfront, a mighty queue of teenage obsessives reaches half way down King Street, decked head to toe in a cornucopia of skater gear, dirty sneakers and more paisley than a 70s furniture showroom. But it’s hard to tell just yet whether tonight's one for the history books, or just the result of a buzz band being blown out of proportion.

Two acts support, Cosmo Pyke being the first. Besides his fantastic name, he’s an excellent guitarist, playing a bluesy, reggae tinged half hour alongside a backing drummer. His vocals are rich and deep and every song has a dusky rhythm, comparable to Michael Kiwanuka or Wretch 32 in places.

Skaters are the jam in tonight’s scuzzy rock sandwich. From New York, the post-punk five-piece have been on my ‘to see’ list for several years, and they out do every expectation. Deadbolt opens and hits the roof and latest single The Loner follows, with a boozy, Fratellis meets FIDLAR feel. The audience lap up the high velocity bangers like wasps to an ice cream, older material like Miss Teen Massachusetts and I Wanna Dance (But I Don’t Know How) getting the best reactions. But cuts from their upcoming Rock and Roll Bye Bye EP show a more developed side to the group, bringing out an 80s inspired sound with the addition of drum machines and wailing guitar riffs. Head On To Nowhere ends a riotous nine-song firestorm of gritty bangers from across the pond.

I often ponder as to which tune I’d like to walk on stage to if I could play gigs. Rat Boy nail it with their choice tonight; Drake’s ‘Hotline Bling’ followed by an arrogantly long sample of police sirens. Which does somehow sum them up perfectly. Cardy and his three band mates are greeted like popstars, the screams and waves only subsiding when a barrage of garage noise hits us deep and hard. “We’re gonna do Move”, Cardy commands, “let’s see some circles”, and the baying horde of jumped-up teenagers obeys more than readily. It’s chaos from then on, the waves of moshers and crowd-surfers holding out strong for the whole show.

A lot of new material is performed, and song titles are difficult to pick up. Not least because the set is delivered as one long mixtape-style block of sound, with the odd interlude thrown in to give the band time to switch instruments (one of which consists of a fire alarm recording that not even the band seem to know whether is real or not). But through the soup of sticky samples and anti-establishment lyrics, a sort of artistry can be observed. Where Rat Boy’s music released so far is mostly lyric led, cuts from an upcoming debut album point towards a more sonic focus. There’s essences of reggae, ska, hip-hop and grunge all tied together by some retro keyboard sounds and woozy effect pedals. Not that the audience would care – they’re too busy being shepherded off stage by venue security. Save for the odd kid who’s lucky enough to be rescued by Cardy, and offered a seat next to him for a song or two.

The set does seem to trail off in places, Cardy’s lack of showmanship a cause in part, although he’s far more confident than when the group last played here with Circa Waves. But fan favourites like Sportswear and Left 4 Dead are positioned almost strategically to re-grab our attentions. From the back of the room, the sight is that of how a teen rock gig should look. Silhouettes of arms frantically waving (plus the odd pair of legs flailing upwards) puncture through the sweaty cloud that sits comfortably in the middle distance and it’s clear that tonight is as much about the fans as it is the band. The atmosphere fizzes consistently, as if every single person here tonight wouldn’t have missed it for the world.

S-C-U-M leads into an encore of Sign On and Fake ID back-to-back, culminating in an absolute riot as the band hurl themselves into the crowd. Bits of cardboard cutouts and a precarious looking skateboard are handed to fans, before the sweaty four-piece scamper away triumphantly.

To call Rat Boy the future of British music would be more than an oversight at this point. But Jordan Cardy’s remarkable ability to transform what could easily become a novelty act into a serious musical project is pretty spectacular. Whether he can keep this up in the future remains to be seen, but with a summer schedule jam packed with festival appearances around the corner, don’t expect the hype to die down any time soon.

Move by Rat Boy is out now.

Facebook: Rat Boy / Skaters

Twitter: Rat Boy / Skaters

Live Review: Mystery Jets @ The Waterfront, Norwich

Words originally for Outline Magazine

L-R: Kapil Trivedi, Blaine Harrison, Jack Flanagan, Will Rees

Anyone who’s been a music fan in the last decade will have had a brush or two with Mystery Jets, the mop-haired pretty-boys from London who soundtracked most of the noughties with their delightful indie jangles. But after a few years off and with a new line-up partnering a more mature sonic presence, the foursome are making their way back up the pecking order. Complete with cake and party hats, they came to Norwich Waterfront for a celebratory blowout, featuring new cuts and golden oldies.

London outfit The Big Moon support. It’s their first visit to our humble city and they’re on early, but after a year on the road with everyone from Ezra Furman to The Maccabees, the quartet’s act is more than ship-shape for supporting purposes. Cupid is their latest single, a bouncy, spunky affair that translates fantastically from record to a live setting. Nothing Without You is upbeat and playful, as is a cover of Madonna’s Beautiful Stranger, complete with screeching riffs and deal-with-it tempo changes. Better than the original? Duh. Noise rock elements meet angelic harmonies on The Road, before Sucker brings a grungey close to a phenomenal debut Norwich performance. The Big Moon play The Lake Stage at Latitude this July – go see them, or regret when they make it big time.

Telomere opens both Mystery Jets’ new record ‘Curve of the Earth’, and their set tonight under the cover of darkness. Will Rees’ spine-tingling guitar scratches fit gloriously into the grandeur of Blaine Harrisons’s keys and vocals, which glide the space-age rock number to triumphant heights. Serotonin and Flash a Hungry Smile light up the room in a synth-heavy extravaganza that shows how well these songs have stood the test of time. Bassist-stroke-indie-dreamboat Jack Flanagan is the youngest member (having joined full time in 2014) and is easily the most delightful to watch. Adorned in an ankle length fur coat, he introduces Midnight’s Mirror, “a prog-rock exploration”, and an unexpected highlight of the show. It’s darker and more off-piste than the sunshine pop numbers MJ fans are used to. But it fits perfectly, Rees’ punchy riffs intertwining yet again with Harrison’s keys and Flanagan’s murky bass. Kapil Trivedi completes the group, guiding “an old one”, Half in Love With Elizabeth to a powerful peak of nostalgia and energy from his position on the drums.

More cuts from ‘Curve of the Earth’ fill the second half of the set; Bombay Blue starts downbeat before erupting into a storm of rock fusion, Bubblegum (a strong contender for song of the year) escalating the ambience tenfold. Musically, an almost orchestral tone is adopted as ambitious levels of reverb fuse dazzling synthesizers with modest yet powerful acoustic guitars, a scatty drum machine pitter-pattering comfortably away in the background.

It’s Rees’ birthday, and he doesn’t escape without a sing-along and party hats being passed into the audience. Young Love adds to the celebratory vibe before Alice Springs brings a spellbinding end to the main set. But everyone knows there’s more to come. Someone Purer heads up our encore, made all the more special as it’s the only cut from 2012’s ‘Radlands’ we hear. Harrison asks that his audience sing the first verse to Two Doors Down and we oblige of course, before the band join in to finish, and Flakes concludes our night of fun with a joyous sing-along and arm waves.

Five records in, it may surprise some to see Mystery Jets playing a venue as small as The Waterfront. But make no mistake, ten plus years of gigging has only seen these dream boys grow into experienced and slick performers. And with the incredible new album pushing them towards legendary status, I for one would not be surprised if the best is yet to come. 

Curve of the Earth by Mystery Jets is out now. Read my review here.

Cupid by The Big Moon is out now.

Facebook: Mystery Jets / The Big Moon
Twitter: Mystery Jets / The Big Moon

Live Review: Fickle Friends @ The Waterfront Studio, Norwich

Words originally for Outline Magazine

All photos and more in high resolution here.

Fickle Friends live at Norwich Waterfront Studio

The last time I saw Brighton-based disco quintet Fickle Friends perform was in 2014, opening the main stage at a festival in Oxfordshire. Two years and a string of catchy releases later, they pitched up at the Waterfront Studio to spread some tropical cheer with their 80s inspired tunes.

Odder Seas live at Norwich Waterfront Studio

Local lads Odder Seas are on first. Their cool stage presence fits perfectly with the evening’s murky vibe, their sound boasting disjointed guitar lines reminiscent of Two Door Cinema Club. Frontman (what a name) Oli de St Croix’s deep vocals seem a little out of place to start with, but on the chorus of Limbo everything aligns to create Cribs-like indie greatness. All good so far.

Clean Cut Kid live at Norwich Waterfront Studio

Clean Cut Kid are main support. A jolly Scouse four-piece who previously opened for Circa Waves downstairs, their signature enthusiasm seems lacking this evening but the songs speak for themselves; Runaway sounds punkier than on record but just as uplifting and new tracks Stay and Brother Of Mine prove that this primarily mainstream pop group have a real, concealed substance to them. The retro Pick Me Up and debut single Vitamin C close a half hour of fun with pounding beats and ear-worming hooks.

When the lights dim, Fickle Friends get straight down to business. Say No More showcases everything this act has to offer – there’s a steamy bassline, floaty vocals and more synths than you’ve had hot dinners. There’s even a twangly guitar solo in there for good measure.

A quick reminisce about the group’s last visit to Norwich gets the audience laughing – at Radio 1’s Big Weekend, “I fainted during Muse! I wasn’t even drunk, I just had enough”, frontwoman Natti Shiner recalls. Technical difficulties plague the set, first on Chris Hall’s guitars then Sam Morris’ kick drum, but the five-piece persevere skilfully. And through the vibrant light show and Shiner’s endearing enthusiasm, the audience couldn’t care less anyway.

New songs like Call and Freak sound fairly alike, but fresh and original nonetheless – certainly unlike anything any other pop acts are producing nowadays. My preference falls on the older tracks like Play and Swim which earned this energetic collective so much hype two years ago, and have matured exceptionally over time to create beautiful pop masterpieces. With luck, the same will happen to the newer stuff too.

At first glance, it wouldn’t be unforgivable to mistake Fickle Friends as being just another wannabe pop group. But tonight cements in my mind for sure that with an authentically fun live show and solid tunes to back them up, this group have a truly bright future ahead of them. 

Fickle Friends' Velvet EP is out now. 

Facebook: Fickle Friends / Clean Cut Kid / Odder Seas

Twitter: Fickle Friends / Clean Cut Kid / Odder Seas

Soundcloud: Fickle Friends / Clean Cut Kid / Odder Seas

Live Review: Little Simz @ The Waterfront Studio, Norwich

Words originally for Outline Magazine

All photos and more in high resolution here.

Little Simz at Norwich Waterfront

I don’t go to hip-hop gigs enough. That’s what North London’s hottest new wordsmith Little Simz taught me at her phenomenal show upstairs at Norwich Waterfront.

Chuck 20 live at Norwich Waterfront Studio

The night started slow, with MCs from Simz’ own AGE 101 record label manning the decks as punters filtered in. Opening support Chuck 20 did well to build up some anticipation in the dozy room, as did Tiffany Gouché, whose L.A. accent and soaring vocals came as a surprise, but a pleasant one.

Tiffany Gouché live at Norwich Waterfront Studio

When Simz – real name Simbi Ajikawo – bounded up to the mic, the fun really began. Aged just 21 she’s already had coverage from Zane Lowe, Annie Mac and Mistajam, and she counts Snoop Dogg and Kendrick Lamar as fans too. Immediately her reputation was fulfilled, as a tsunami of rhyme and rhythm was unleashed on the room.

Dirty tracks like Dead Body and Intervention were fired out next to the almost ballad-like God Bless Mary and Wings, beautifully moulding the ebb and flow of the crowd’s liveliness and allowing Simz to showcase old material against new. The unifying factor? Every track had an overwhelming sense of power and passion behind it, making for a humbling experience as a new fan.  

Technical issues cut the set in half, but things got back on track quickly and smoothly. A riotous stage invasion blurred the lines between performer and audience, as did one lucky fan getting ‘happy birthday’ sung to them, bringing an endearingly personal quality to the show.

The night ended with the return of Simz’ crew and a duet with Chuck 20 blowing the Waterfront a new one under dazzling strobe lights. Ticking every box on the list of things you could aim for in a debut headline show, Little Simz is a force to be reckoned with. It was a privilege to catch her in such a tiny venue, when this incredibly capable, fresh new face has clearly got a stellar future ahead of her.

Little Simz' debut album A Curious Tale of Trials + Persons is out now,

on her own AGE 101 label.

Little Simz Facebook
Little Simz Twitter
Official Website