Why The Fantastic Four? Ok maybe I’ve misappropriated/stole a phrase but simply put it was a one night, four bands. Four bands I felt lucky to see perform, four bands that could have been the headline act! Four bands now firmly in my Spotify playlists. No disrespect to the Clause who definitely did deserve to be, but all the bands more than turned up!
First up were The Dead Freights, a local to me that I have somehow missed, how I’m not sure? but thankfully our paths crossed tonight. Soon to be supporting the Libertines in my spiritual home of Falmouth, then back to Southampton, that association alone shows their pedigree. A band now on my radar if for nothing more but getting the Batman baseline into a song! But that comment is trivialising the quality of what I witnessed. Innovative, interesting and musically unexpected, never knowing exactly where songs are going but glad they go where they do, and all musically superb.. (scroll down for galleries)
Next up Dirty Blonde from Manchester. A five piece on stage but the focus on the two ladies. Through a Google, I know them to be Ailis MacKay on vocals and guitar and Hayley Tait on lead Guitar. Self described as a female-fronted Oasis meets grunge vibe, im sold alrealdy! They commanded the stage, well apart from when the singer Ailis left it to walk through the crowd. A great array of songs supported by a band more than up to the task, a real crowd pleaser, a band i hope to see again.
Then came The Kairos, I had no idea who these guys were? If I don’t know a listed support act I dont look them up, I like to be surprised and make my mind up live. Well my mind is made up, it didn’t take long, I was probably a fan before they started playing. A more relaxed band dynamic you won’t see, easily infectious to watch. The music that followed was just relentless, a mix of guitars, drums and sprinkling of Scouse cockiness and attitude, and I mean that in a good way. Comfortable on stage is an understatement and combined with an arsenal of sheer kick-ass tracks you won’t/can’t go wrong. (scroll down for gallery)
The Clause, it’s been a wait, a three band wait and as mentioned an enjoyable wait. Singer Pearce Macca telling the crowd about a gig he remembered at The Brook in the past, I think three years ago when there were fifteen people in the audience. It was not that way tonight! Looked like a full house with fans travelling as far as from Donegal to be there.
I first saw The Clause in a support slot at the Chalk in Brighton back in December 2022. I saw them again on their headline tour at The Joiners back in April 2023. This time headlining an Independent Venue Week tour. They rose to the occasion as expected.
The back catalogue played with with raucous vocal accompaniment from the crowd, both young and old knowing the words and not quiet on delievry. There was a surge and bounce in half the crowd, almost pensioners pogo-ing, a joke made at the time that turned into a light mosh pit from what I, i think there was a pit at one point, I could even see with the singer from The Kairos on someones back amounst the fun. The crowd was certainly onboard. They were getting exactly what they came to see and more. A full album was mentioned and a new single was showcased. That got the crowd shouting support even more. The Clause showed why they were the headlining and why fans will travel miles. They owned tonight and well deserved. The extended ‘In my element’ at the end to the pleasure of the audience and they could have put that on repeat even longer, i think the crowd would still be there now if they could.
A great night, four bands, four fantastic bands, all doing exactly what live audiences at small venues want, they all turned up and left nothing on stage. This is why small venues are so important, and why independent music week is such an important part of that.
