LUCIA, THE LANES, HEX FRIENDS, HONEY & CURRENT BOND
I first saw Lucia support Sleeper at this very venue. I was blown away then. If anything, they have come back stronger....
Tonight, Pony Up presents five acts at the Arts Centre for a fiver. Yep, five acts for not much more than the price of a pint. As there are plenty of other gigs on in the city tonight, it is pleasing to see that NAC is pretty busy.
First up it is CURRENT BOND. Featuring the Gedge twins – of Norwich faves Browies, BUOYS and Graceland – on drums and bass, Current Bond peddle a brand of dream pop/shoegaze topped with soaring voice. Some of the songs drift a little but this is, on the whole, a thoroughly enjoyable introduction to a band that I will be keeping tabs on.
Next up and in the bar it is singing guitarist HONEY. The problem with the bar – and this is not a criticism of the acts, the venue or the punters – is that the musicians can be drowned out by people talking. Honey does a damned good job of overcoming that with a set that is, for me at least, a bit like Kate Tempest channelling Billy Bragg. There are some rough edges but I’d rather that than something that is too polished and I’d like to hear Honey again.
Two thirds of HEX FRIENDS made up half of CLAWS, one of my favourite bands on the Norwich scene and seemingly on permanent hiatus. It is a welcome return for Josie and Duncan. Josie has swapped her guitar for pumping bass lines. Her voice is less feral and carries more melody than I remember but is just as powerful. Conor provides squalling guitar lines with judicious use of feedback. Musically, it is grungy alt.rock that brings to mind Pixies, Dinosaur Jr and a bit of early Manics. Good stuff.
Back in the bar, four piece THE LANES present some bog-standard guitars-drums-bass-vox indie-tinged heavy rock. Now, I don’t want to write anyone off or be critical for the sake of it. Anyone who is prepared to play and sing in public deserves respect for having the courage to do their stuff, after all. BUT, the Lanes are really no better than a thousand other bands and have nothing (yet) that makes them stand out. There is some promise but this is far from the finished article. We’ll see what happens as they develop.
Anybody else remember the days when bands got dressed up to play and actually put on a SHOW? In the auditorium, LUCIA deliver a masterclass in just that. Lead vocalist and guitarist Lucia herself is decked out in a check suit, red socks & patent creepers, like Toyah mixed with Deborah Harry and channelling John Lydon. Guitarist Hamish makes like David Byrne circa Stop Making Sense with Billy Idol’s hair. Bassist Chris sports denim jeans and jacket, looking like a young Springsteen gone rockabilly. The keyboard player – reportedly playing his first gig with the band – looks like a footie hooligan circa 1981. It may not be a unified image but it is a very strong look and the band jig and dance around the stage like their lives depend upon it
Of course, the image and the moves and the show don’t matter a damn if the music isn’t up to scratch. No problem there! For a start, the sound is one of the biggest I have heard here for a while. As for the music, there are hints of Patti Smith, Weezer, early Blondie and Best Coast all delivered with the swagger of Johnny Thunders’ Heartbreakers.
I first saw Lucia support Sleeper at this very venue. I was blown away then. If anything, they have come back stronger, more confident and just, well, better. 2019 has already started with some of the best sets I have seen for years – from very different genres in Algiers and Gyda Valtysdottir – and Lucia can be added to that list.
