Music > Live Reviews

Norwich Rock Festival Day One - DITZ, EAT YOUR OWN HEAD, TRUTHTELLER & KAMENSKO

Voodoo Daddy's Showroom

01/02/23

Full photo gallery HERE

This weekend sees a welcome return of Norwich Rock Fest at Voodoo’s. After last year’s line-up – St Pierre Snake Invasion! Rad Pitt! CLT DRP! Alpha Male Tea Party! – this year’s event had a tough act to follow. 

The first evening opens with the NWOBHM-meets-stoner rock-meets-power metal of KAMENSKO. Unsurprisingly, it is very loud and very heavy. I’d be lying if I said I loved this – its not really my thing – and there isn’t a great deal of originality on show but Kamensko are decent and set closer Aggressor strays into black metal territory.

TRUTHTELLER’s sound seems rooted in emo with a symphonic metal sheen yet strangely they remind me of (a heavier take on) the anthemic stadium indie of Aereogramme or even Elbow. As with Kamensko, it is not entirely my thing but Truthteller are decent, with the only misstep being an unnecessary cover of Wonderwall but that may just be my antipathy to Oasis and it down a treat with a large section of the audience (most of whom seem to be younger than that song). 

Featuring the weekend’s promoter and Drongo Records head honcho Ash, four-piece technical alt.rockers EAT YOUR OWN HEAD. From opening new song Barry, this is as intense a set as I have seen from EYOH. A few technical issues could have blunted the performance but seem to have added to the visceral fury. EYOH are headlining NAC in May. Be there.

I’d heard lots of good things about tonight’s closing act DITZ but never managed to see them before. They open with an extended drone intro before breaking into a set chock full of intense, feral, experimental, post-punk/dance-punk and I utterly converted even before Cal is hanging upside down from the rafters.

What. A. Night.