We were not ‘Bilked’ by this band, they paid there fans back in full and a gave a tip.
I remember hearing Spiked (released 2018) a few years ago and instantly adding it to my regular playlist where it has remained since leading me to order the Vinyl of the self titled debut album on release day. The thought was always this music needs to be seen live and it now has been! An eclectic set of tracks played before the start as the crowd chanted and got frantic, not impatient. A stand out then was ‘There is a light that never goes out’ by the Smiths which is 37 years old but had the audience most of who were not born then singing the chorus like it was a recent addition, I’m guessing Tik Tok has a hand in that. Bilk came on stage to the expected applause and surge in the crowd. It was a sold out night at The Loft in Southampton which is a great but not big venue, it’s a loft. Standing in a simple T-Shirt jeans and a cardigan and sunglasses, Sol Abraham’s wasted no time tearing into the set list, tight knit with bassist Luke Hare and drummer Harry Gray.
I read an article that started out ‘Not quite punk, not quite indie rock’ and so true, bizarrely that morning I had swiped past a clip of Liam Gallagher singing My Generation and a lad behind me at the gig who was no more than 19-20 was singing Pretty Vacant, both experiences that day just fit better in my head at that moment. Music is so alive with the youth it’s f##king great! Bilk is a great live act! announcing each song to a crowd stretching the pit out to pretty much full venue width then launching in, the floorboards literally heaving, I could imaging plaster falling from the ceiling below. Sol Abraham even stopped mid gig to draw on the arm of a fan in the crowd who wanted a new tattoo? Will he go through with it? About 2 songs in a speaker above the stage quit but that didn’t effect proceedings and I have no idea if it came back as it didn’t matter, the energy and the musical assault was there. It was loud, relentless in your face guitar music with a native message.
Not quite punk? The opening track CM2 screamed it! Not quite indie rock, the new track RNR swaggered it. Go see them! No actual Hummus, No actual Pita, But loads of Mosh, Great Fashion, Brilliant!
Words and images by John Whalvin
