PINS
Everything I love about watching live music in Norwich was encapsulated in last night’s amazing event. Three brilliant bands playing in my favourite venue with a crowd full of familiar faces - perfect. First up were London five piece Yassassin who made an immediate and big impact. Hard to believe that they’ve only been together as a band for a year, they dripped cool attitude and made a loud, punky sound with an added layer of glam rock stomp. Top marks to the bass player for sporting a pink suit and looking like a long lost member of the New York Dolls or Hanoi Rocks. Debut single Social Politics was the highlight of the set and there was a real buzz in the room straight after they finished - many new fans had been made.
Next up it was the turn of Danish trio Baby In Vain, and lots of people had been saying how much they were looking forward to seeing them play. Their opening track was great, but then I lost my way with them for the next few songs; partly because their live sound was quite different from what I was expecting. They were really loud and really heavy and when they played The Urge it all fell into place. Their sound was 70s rock, stoner rock, call it what you want but big fat riffs and a killer groove ensured by the end they had completely won everyone over. They reminded me of bands like Fu Manchu and I barely even noticed the lack of bass player so big was their twin guitar noise.
Stumbling across PINS at the 2013 Norwich Sound & Vision festival was a truly great moment. Already apparently fully formed, they absolutely blew everyone away that night, and did the same again at the 2015 fest, when I felt they should have been headlining. I missed their visit last year, supporting again, but now finally I got to see PINS playing a full headline set and boy did they make the most of it. Opening with new song Aggrophobe with bass player Anna taking care of the spoken parts that Iggy Pop supplies on the record, the step up they have made in the time since I last saw them was enormous. The bass was prominent, Faith has grown into a brilliant frontwoman, exuding confidence, Kyoko on keys and second guitar quietly went about her business, adding extra layers to the sound. Drummer Sophie, sporting the evening’s sharpest haircut, kept the rocksteady beat whilst Lois on guitar was FREE, absolutely owning it, the total rock star. We were treated to a rendition of Joy Division’s Dead Souls, with Lois taking over on keyboards, Trouble slowed the pace superbly and the audience response grew louder and louder, those extra Easter drinks really helping.
Their set already feels like a greatest hits one - another new song All Hail is epic, with massive commercial potential. As is traditional at a PINS show the girls are ushered up front for Girls Like Us and when they returned for a two song encore fans joined them on stage to shake it along with the band.
It really shouldn’t still be a thing - the fact of the matter is that to watch a three band bill featuring all female acts is still unusual, but what a powerful, empowering night it was. The only disappointment for me is the fact the crowd was more of a 6 Music audience rather than the young women I feel should have been there supporting these young female acts who showed exactly what can be achieved with talent and a shit ton of attitude. Next time I’m taking my daughter with me - nothing would be cooler than for her to see these women as role models.
