Sonic Youths Birthday Party @ NAC

Five live acts on a Thursday night at Norwich Arts Centre makes Lizz a very happy girl. We’re here to celebrate the first birthday of Sonic Youths, a three-monthly showcase for Norfolk musicians and bands aged 14-19. Moving between the cafe bar for the acoustic acts to the main room for the louder acts gives the night a wicked festival vibe, and although the place isn’t packed, there’s a supportive and warm feel throughout the evening.

Goth/Riot Grrl act Peach Club duo (Katie on vocals/guitar and Shelby on drums) hold my attention for their full 30 mins slot. Karen O, Kathleen Hanna and Peaches are obvious influences, and their songs are about boys being shit but wanting them anyway, not being ‘owned’ by anyone, fancying girls, and being a bitch; it’s standard teen fare in a way, but totally honest and comes straight from their hearts. The guitar could be louder and brasher; sometimes I can barely hear the tunes. The drummer’s steady but could do with a bit more verve to fill the sound out. Katie is clearly dying to start showing a little bit more of a ‘fuck you’ attitude on stage; it's great when she really gives it a bit of a snarl. She's a good front woman with considerable presence, especially considering this was only their second ever gig. They finish with Not Your Girl, their debut single. This young duo show enormous promise and I can't wait to see what they're like a year hence.

Salman Toheed's from Pakistan and sings songs in a Western style in Pakistani, accompanying himself on the acoustic guitar. He has a dulcet singing tone, it's in tune and heartfelt, and he has a nice line in catchy songs. He tells us a bit about what the songs are about, and encourages us to clap along, seemingly confident in doing so. It does sometimes feel like I'm waiting for the rest of the band to come in, so it might be worth him trying his material out with a band as an experiment just to see how that might work out. The café bar is rapt and we all enjoy his unusual set.

Black Shuk are a teenage boy four piece. They play swaggering, punchy garage rock, with shades of the Arctic Monkeys, 80’s rock and sweet 60’s riffs and it’s rather sexy musically, but the boys seem a little stiff. I want them to be a bit more in my face, or at least with their legs planted firmly on stage, staring the audience down to reflect their music, which is entirely ballsy. The lead guitarist is pretty damned proficient and seems nonchalantly comfortable during his solos. Or maybe it’s just nerves? There’s a sweet kicky beat from the drums, but the bass is the over riding instrument I hear throughout the set. The first two tracks are the best ones, and coincidentally they are both new tracks. They mess about with their tempos, which is great and keeps us on our toes; the vocals are steady but maybe could be a bit bolder alongside the music; the strongest moment is when the drummer, the bassist and the singer all sing together, giving the volume level that I really needed alongside the music. This music's full of the energy and frustrations of teenage boys; they shouldn't be afraid to cut loose, and feel more free on stage. For a band that have been together for such a short time they have the potential to be truly great.

Abigail Blake plays the harp and sings with a delicate, sweet voice. She plays the harp beautifully. Her ethereal and smooth songs are about fairytales and love, as suits this instrument and her voice. She’s very confident on stage, chatting easily with the audience and explaining how the harp works, which is really interesting, and also a little about the background to some of the songs. Abigail moves onto the acoustic guitar halfway through her set equally successfully, with a silent café bar enthralled by her wistful and emotional songs. She has an EP out at present which I’m sure will do well.

Last up are three piece female harmonising group, Vibe, two of whom play keyboards during tonight’s set. Musically I’m reminded of the slow bits of East 17 or any late slow 80's RnB track, and that’s a good thing. They also have a guitarist and bass player to boost their live sound, alongside members of Norwich band Lobster. Their voices are rich and resonant and they've clearly worked hard to create a coherent sound. Their tracks about love and relationships offer a a laid back and a chilled vibe..think a late night smoky club. It would have been nice to hear a little more of the sax from Dom from Lobster to really recreate that 80's RnB feel but it was just a little too tentative tonight. They cover The Monkees’ I’m A Believer which picks the pace up a little, and they really make it their own; their timing is spot on. A highlight of the set is when Molly from Lobster comes on stage to take lead vocals in a cover of Mr Magic by Amy Winehouse. It’s great to see a RnB group in Norwich; a rare thing indeed.

This was a great night of a wide variety of live music from some talented and enthusiastic Sonic Youths. It’s made me really excited to see what the future of Norwich music will look like, and I definitely have some new young bands to follow. A big well done to all the acts that played, and to Annie Catwoman for the whole shebang.