The Franklys @ The Owl Sanctuary, Norwich
If there was any justice, the Owl would’ve been rammed full.
It’s a Sunday night and The Owl Sanctuary hosts a triple-header for nowt. Yep, that’s free entry. OK, it’s a Sunday night (have I mentioned that?) and there’s barely twenty people in here. Those that came witnessed one of the best gigs of the year.
Bury St Edmunds’ very own Machismo's kick things off with their bloody excellent, garage punk-pop. Either side of the stage, Rachel and Karly do their inscrutable, apparently emotionless Robert Palmer promo act, centre stage Sam recites his poetry between beating seven bells out of his kit and shouting his songs. Putting the punk back into indie? Hell yeah.
Here from Leeds, The Vendettas play 60's maximum R'n'B like a turbocharged early Kinks, Who or Small Faces. Nowt original but by cripes they play with soul, passion and a winning humour. Finishing with My Generation should've been obvious but they absolutely made it their own.
London-based half American/half-Swedish four piece The Franklys blast out a glorious garage racket, an all-female take on the Nuggets compilation. Again, this is nothing original but bugger originality when retro can be this much fun.
This wasn’t perfect but as an evening’s entertainment it came pretty damned close. If there was any justice, the Owl would’ve been rammed full.
9.5/10
