The Sundowners - The Kazimier, Liverpool - 20.2.15
Wirral band, The Sundowners launched their debut album with a hugely impressive gig at the cities Kazimier. The band launched their album to a capacity crowd with help from labelmates Marvin Powell and She Drew The Gun as well as Liverpool band Sankofa. They played through the album in near enough it's enteriety including singles 'Into The Light' and 'If Wishes Where Horses'. Fiona Skelly was nursing a voice problem picked up on tour and stated "I've blew my voice out on the tour but I'm going to give you all I've got until I pretty much blow my voice out." Co-singer Niamh Rowe joked Fiona had "rested" her voice during the Manchester gig the night before to loud cheers. The band went on to conclude their set with the fan favourite 'Hummingbird' and trippy 'Medicine' before leaving the stage to rapturous applause which was well and truly earned.
Skeleton Key Records
The Jackobins - East Village Arts Club, Liverpool - 13.12.14
Liverpool band The Jackobins (Dominic Bassnett, Veso Mihaylov, John Whittingham, Chris Marriott and Marc Terry) launched their 'Ghosts' EP at the cities East Village Arts Club venue to a capacity crowd and wowed with a lively stage presence and varied alternative/rock sound blended with pop choruses and dark riffs. The standout in the live set has to be the atmospheric thriller 'Prussia' which features on the EP alongside the radio friendly poppy hit ''She Always Says', the most indie/alt hit 'The Otherside' and lead single 'Ghosts'. You'd do well to find a more energetic frontman in a breakthrough band than Jackobins' singer Dominic Bassnett who simply refuses to stay still which adds to their already lively and pulsy tone to make for a pretty frantic yet polished live performance. The band return to East Village Arts Club in March following this sold out show and are not to be missed.
www.thejackobins.co.uk
Blossoms - The Shipping Forecast, Liverpool, 14.10.14
Blossoms played The Shipping Forecast, Liverpool as part of their UK stint of tour dates to showcase new tracks including their single 'Blow'. The band have real 60's retro feel with the dark black attire and shoegaze/psych textures to their music. Their set also includes 'Cut Me And I'll Bleed' and 'You Pulled A Gun On Me' both of which you can expect to hear on any EP or Album released by Blossoms in 2015. The highlight of their set for me is the key-led 'Scattered Rain' with it's unique sound and real 60s/70s tinge to the bassy acoustic guitar and keyboard sounds. Blossoms are a band that are slowly coming into their own and 2015 could well be their year!