This was my first gig-review, so I was a little nervous. In this burst of anxiety, I somehow rationalise walking past the Medinas on their smoke break, and walk right into Clarks before it was even opened. I only realised this when the manager came over to let me on the guest list. NEVER-THE-LESS, once I heard some great indie classics playing over the radio like Declan McKenna’s Brazil and the Vista’s Tigerblood, I knew I was in for a good night. (Also, Desperados make everything better.)
First up were the Medinas, a three-piece sad-indie band from Dundee. I’ve written about these boys before and after reading more about their work from other articles on Discovery, I was excited to see them live. The boys showed a strong balance of indie folk and moody rock with their tinkling guitar sounds, ascending drums managing a steady slow pace, and smooth and sombre vocals. The Medinas conveyed such a sense of humane desperation with their lyrics and melancholy tunes, but also fluctuated the energy in the room by going from sad tracks like Sunday Blues to ending with the optimistic Daisy Chains, rounding off a wonderfully cathartic performance on a positive note. Well done, lads!
Following the blues of the Medinas was the fiery red of Caezium, a three-piece rock band with a vibrant and industrial sound. The vocalist, Jody Butler, was an expert of managing the crowd, as he was jumping about and hyping us up as he easily swapped from passionate singing to enraged screaming – it was amazing! The bassist, Connor Forbes, was a prominent player for me, as his deft playing added a layer of depth and consistency. to each high-action song. Finally, Tom Exton on drums led the charge and was my favourite part of the night; he couldn’t help but jam and sing along with his songs, too. Each member were powerhouses, but together they were an unforgettable experience that I cannot wait to see again.
Finally, the headliners: Love Affair, a five piece band from beautiful Dundee. They described the event on their Facebook page as “laying [their] bare arses on the table for [us] all” and boy, did it show! their effort, I mean. Not their asses.
If Medinas were calming and moody, and Caezium were high-paced and thrilling, Love Affair was an excellent meeting point between the two: smooth, energetic, and radiating confidence. Each member brought something amazing to the table and completed their mission of “Reuniting the senses” as the entire bar was alive with their tracks. The band had a great sound, managed the night well, but most importantly they had fun, and that is always what you need to see at a gig. For their first headlining event, these guys seemed like naturals.
I’m proud of the guys for how well the night went and I’m excited to see what comes next! I’ll make sure to come in the right door this time. And set the date right in my Huji app…
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