Snake Eyes
The Brighton-based grit-poppers have written some cracking songs over the last five years
At this time of year, thoughts of spending long lazy evenings in a pub garden, or of languidly lobbing a vegetarian sausage onto the barbie at home, are compelling excuses (especially on a school night) for not dragging oneself down to an indoor live music venue. But there are still bands touring out there, and they still need you to hear their music. With that thought in mind I set off on a summery Tuesday evening for Norwich Riverside, strolling purposefully past the Queen of Iceni, ignoring the urge to pop into Morrisons to buy veggie burgers and buns, and made my way purposefully to the Adrian Flux Waterfront Studio on the promise of hearing some great live music, and an evening headlined by Brighton grit-poppers Snake Eyes.
First up is Amourette, four Norwich friends who met at college and formed the band in late 2023. They have played the Inbetweeners Stage at Latitude, and entered and won the Battle of the Bands at last year's Royal Norfolk Show. They have opened for several headline acts locally, including Plasticine and Damp Matches at Voodoo Daddy's, and Youth Killed It at the Waterfront Studio. Led by Bolan-esque lead singer and guitarist Lila (who is once again wearing her trademark 'I ♥ Nerds' top), Amourette are growing in confidence at each and every outing, and 'Check Please' their song about a nightmare date, is a real grower. Their music is garage rock with a generous helping of punk attitude thrown in to the mix. Look out for them locally.
Rad Pitt are a Colchester band who have been around now for almost ten years, and their anarchic style and live performances guarantee an entertaining, and often unpredictable, set. Tonight is no exception. Having spotted that the venue is not full, guitarists Chris Smith and Mat Gilbert have set up their pedal boards on the audience side of the barriers, and proceed to plug in and play the entire set whilst diving in and out of the audience. The set includes raucous favourites like ‘Shanty‘, ’What is The Point of Piers Morgan‘, and ‘2 Step‘, as well as newer anthems ‘Death Is Not Defeat‘, and ‘Hot, Hot, Hotter, Gone‘. Vocalist Reece Boulton gives it his all, and Rad Pitt are definitely the highlight of the evening for me.
Not that I did not want to like Snake Eyes. The Brighton-based grit-poppers have written some cracking songs over the last five years but, if I am being honest, they all sounded better with bass player Nicole Gill in the line-up. Don't get me wrong - early songs ‘Another World‘, ‘Scuttlebug’ and ‘Skeletons’still sounded great, and the basslines were still there as a pre-recorded backing track, but some of the energy was missing from this Waterfront Studio performance. There are new songs though, and it is always heartening to hear bands sharing their mental health stories, as in the openness and honesty of ‘Hug Me‘. ‘Hottest Day On Record‘, and latest single ‘HDTV‘, also provide an indication of the band's new direction.
But, for me, the night belonged to the showmanship, the energy and the exuberance of Rad Pitt.
