Words by James Watts...
Last minute gigs can be a real hit and miss thing, but having a Friday night off is rare, so I took the chance to see something local - everyone should support small music venues – and I'm so glad that I did.
Supported by Belfast duo Dea Matrona (Mollie McGinn and Orlaith Forsythe) with their retro-inspired riffs and Beatles-esque harmonies, showing that they deserve big things in the future. Kicking off with their 2021 single 'Stamp on It' they get the crowd clapping along before the 60s psychedelic and 70 glam rock riffs show everyone how talented this duo is. Between songs you would be forgiven for not noticing that the two girls had swapped instruments as both are so adept and highly skilled that both bass and guitar have can have the same feel between them regardless of the instrument they were playing. Whilst they clearly look to the past for inspiration, the future is bright, and the mainstream shouldn’t be too far away.
With the room still filling, and ears still ringing – I'll remember that I always carry a set of earplugs with me one of these days – the backdrop lights up with the logo of the main event. Peering through the darkness you can see the stage manager making final checks and making sure everything is secure and ready. This is always one of my favourite parts of the night, the anticipation of what's to come.
The band prepare themselves to the industrial sounding intro track and eponymous frontman and guitarist Kris Barras walks onto stage wasting no time flying to the opening track, and one of the best known, 'Hail Mary', with the crowd singing along to almost every word.
The boys waste no time in between songs diving headfirst into the lead single from the latest album 'Death Valley Paradise, Dead Horses'.
The lights fade to black again, and a single spotlight shines on the newest member of the band, Frazer Kerslake, as he plays an atmospheric bass solo. The rest of the band - Josiah J. Manning (guitar) and Billy Hammett (drums) – join into the head banging inducing riff of 'Out of Control'. After the excitement of the opening tracks its time for a breather as Kris explains the evolution of the band from a southern bluesy sound into the heavier sound in front of us today.
As the band progress through their set, a great mix of heavy tracks and slower more 'ballady' tracks the band themselves come to the forefront with a mix of talent and enthusiasm that leaves the crowd visibly agape at some points. Kris takes the time to jump into the crowd and get amongst us taking a few sips from the on looking crowds beers on the way. He takes the time to tell us of his father who had taught him to play guitar, but having died of cancer, had never truly got to see him showcase his talent, meaning the next song 'Watching Over Me' becomes a tribute to his Dad, with the crowd illuminating the room with phone lights in memory of those lost. Bringing the rooms mood back up the band kick into a cover medley starting with Rock and Roll and you can see the great time and respect for each other the band have using the full space of the stage and even breaking into a knees crossed sitting on the floor jam session which leads into snippets of 'Axel F' and 'Carry On My Wayward Son'.
Rounding out the set is the song that everyone has been waiting for 'My Parade'. With the crowd singing along to the anthemic chorus, Kris once again joins us, splitting the crowd in two, with each half singing a line at the other. Climbing back on stage for the now traditional big rock finish, the band leave as the inevitable cries of encore follow them, 'Ignite (Light it Up)' ends the night perfectly.
It could be argued that they are one of the best up and coming bands in Britain today, and it surely cant be long before they are playing much bigger venues with their undeniable talent and excellent stage presence.
Pictures by Christine Haylett
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