Deaf Havana
The first big gig of 2017 has been a long time coming, but this was certainly a night to remember.
Given the task of getting things underway was five piece band Dead! A slice of classic rock served straight up, with no bells or whistles. This was rock music in the simplest form, with all the rawness and aggression that it should have. Being first support is always tough, as you have just 30 minutes (as a rule) to make your mark and get the crowd on your side. They managed to do it in just two songs. The energy that they put into their performance spilled off the stage and into the audience and it wasn’t long before the whole place was jumping. They came, they saw, they tore the UEA a new one. Watch out for this band, as they really mean business.
Second on the bill were Dinosaur Pile-Up, and in stark contrast to the first act this was a more laidback heavy grunge band. After the first band it was something of a come-down for many people, but despite this the crowd soon warmed to them. They’re a good band, and really quite enjoyable, but they lacked the intensity and ferocity of the band before them, and I found them a little anti-climactic. Not to mention that nobody in the room knew what they looked like as their stage lighting was abysmal. That’s just my opinion though, so feel free to disagree.
Deaf Havana returned with a bang this year with their most successful album to date. Debuting at number five in the UK album charts no less, so it was no surprise that the new album featured heavily in their set. That said though, the “crowd-pleasers” littered throughout their back catalogue were still in there too.
James was complaining that he couldn’t sing as well as he’d hoped due to having a cold, but I don’t think anyone noticed anyway. Tonight the boys were really on fire, and their 18 song set literally flew by. It was one of the fastest 90 minutes in history I think, filled with plenty of opportunities for the crowd to get involved, and get involved we did.
For the work this band have put in they deserve more, and the newer material is made for much bigger venues. That said though, Norwich is pretty much a “homecoming” show for these guys, having lived in and around Norfolk growing up, and the atmosphere at these shows is always special, for crowd and band alike. If you’ve not seen Deaf Havana before, you are really missing out, because playing live is where they shine brightest.
