Music > Live Reviews

Norwich Rock Fest Day Two - ST PIERRE SNAKE INVASION, EAT YOUR OWN HEAD, JOMO TUUN & SETTLEMENTS

30/01/22

After the excitement of last night, it is back to Voodoo Daddy’s for day two of the inaugural Norwich Rock Fest. 

Opening proceedings are SETTLEMENTS. Last time I saw them, something didn’t quite gel for me. Tonight, there are no such issues. Sounding heavier and perhaps more alternative than last time I saw them, with a gloriously dirty bass sound and superb drumming, this was a cracking set. 

 Tonight is JOMO TUUN‘s debut performance so drawing any lasting impressions would be unfair. As it is, despite some issues with leads playing up, they make a decent fist of it. Combining grunge, alt.rock, 60s/70s jam bands and free jazz, Jomo Tuun come across like Crazy Horse jamming with Primus and John Zorn. To be honest, I’m really not sure whether I love this or not but it is certainly interesting and I’ll definitely be back for more. 

As with Sleemo last night, I love EAT YOUR OWN HEAD and have written enough in these pages that I’ve run out of superlatives and can’t think of anything new to say. All I will say is that lot are one of the most exciting live bands on the Norwich scene - scratch that, on the heavy scene full stop - and everyone should make an effort to see them.

THE ST PIERRE SNAKE INVASION have been around for a decade or more but I only discovered them a couple of years or so back, when they were scheduled to play a show with EYOH. That show fell victim to the Disease That Dare Not Speak Its Name but the LP Caprice Enchante was an early BandCamp Friday purchase that helped me through the lockdowns. I’ve been getting increasingly excited about seeing them ever since this show was announced and they absolutely do NOT let me down. Every single song is an absolute banger, whether it is old, new or the completely unrehearsed encore. Damien is a brilliantly engaging frontman who comes across like a hybrid of his old friend Joe Talbot and comedian Nick Helm (and I mean that as an absolute compliment). 

I’m exhausted and only the gods know how I will get through another night of this tomorrow but BRING IT ON.

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