PORRIDGE RADIO + A CERTAIN RATIO + THE KVB + THE HOUSE OF LOVE + BDRMM + WUNDERHORSE + OCTOBER DRIFT + LONELY TOURIST + TV PRIEST – BUTLINS, BOGNOR REGIS 9.1.22
So here I am enjoying Sunday lunch with TV Priest at the Rockaway Beach festival at Butlins in Bognor Regis. Okay, so strictly speaking that isn’t entirely true. There is no food involved, but it is Sunday lunchtime, TV Priest are onstage, and both the band and audience are gamely trying to rock at midday. The band are probably somewhat more successful in that endeavour than the audience.
TV Priest are purveyors of energetic post-punk with thought provoking lyrics. Much of the time the vocals are sung-spoken. However, at times vocalist Charlie Drinkwater declaims like a Southern preacher. He’s really quite mesmerising. The band have a maturity that many bands lack. You get the impression that they’ve lived a bit, and know of what they sing.
Further information can be located at www.tvpriest.com
To quote Monty Python: “and now for something completely different.” Lonely Tourist are an acoustic duo with socially aware and often poignant lyrics. Often they refer to memories of childhood holidays, and also reflect upon our relationships with our parents. One song is about public libraries, and the musicians’ autobiographies held therein. It’s all very charming.
Check out their releases on Bandcamp.
October Drift are also charming, but in a different way. Their music is very bouncy indie with a definite grunge influence. Their performance is incredibly enthusiastic, but I can’t help feeling that they’re trying just a little too hard. It’s as if they have digested a manual of rock star poses. They’re in grave danger of coming across as a little contrived. Which isn’t to say that they’re not enjoyable, but they might want to take their foot off the gas a little.
More information can be found at www.octoberdrift.com
Wunderhorse possibly demonstrate how things should be done. They manage to channel prime time Radiohead with some more classic rock influences. They are a band who clearly feel their music, with their elongated instrumental sections veering close to Crazy Horse territory. It’s thrilling stuff, made even more remarkable by the fact that the guitarist only joined the day before, and had managed to learn their set in that short a time!
Wunderhorse are on Facebook.
I had seen Bdrmm at the Victorious Festival last summer, and I must admit I was a little underwhelmed. However, they seem much rockier today. Lead vocals are shared between guitarist Ryan Smith and the bass player, who’s name I haven’t been able to locate anywhere! The vocals are often quite ethereal. The bass player is very much a ‘lead’ bassist, and his playing reminds me of Peter Hook on occasion. He plays keyboards too. Is there no end to this man’s talents?!! Overall, Bdrmm have very pleasantly surprised me this afternoon, and I look forward to hearing and seeing more of them.
Check them out on Bandcamp.
Having wanted to see The House Of Love for many years, I was slightly disappointed to find that Guy Chadwick is the sole remaining original member. However, once the band began to play it became clear that it didn’t really matter. The band sounded like The House Of Love in their prime. They have a young rhythm section, and guitarist Keith Osborne is a worthy replacement for Terry Bickers.
However, Guy Chadwick seems to have developed into something of a curmudgeon, spending much of the set glaring at his bandmates, whilst they in turn glare back at him. To be honest, it doesn’t look a whole lot of fun. That being said, the music is a whole different matter. Any set that can start with ‘Road’, and includes ‘Christine’, ‘Hope’, ‘The Beatles And The Stones’, ‘Shine On’ and ‘Melody Rose’ is blessed with an embarrassment of riches. Great band, great gig. What more is there to say???
Visit www.thehouseoflove.co.uk for further information.
We move to the main stage for The KVB. They are an audio/visual duo consisting of Nicholas Wood on guitar and Kat Day on keyboards and synths. Kat is also responsible for the band’s back projections. The band aren’t as electro as I expected, with Nicholas Wood’s guitar presenting a more than respectful nod to the shoegazing bands of the early 1990s, without being in thrall to those bands. The KVB are one of the more interesting and inventive bands of the weekend.
Check them out at www.thekvb.co.uk
It’s been a long time since I’ve heard anything from A Certain Ratio, and I’ve always viewed them as being an electro band. However, tonight there are plenty of ‘real’ instruments and the musicians themselves almost redefine the term ‘versatile’. With almost every song the musicians swap instruments. In fact I lose track of just how many instruments each musician plays. Highlights of the set are ‘Lucinda’ and ‘Shack Up’. However, ACR’s whole performance is enthralling. As time progresses they seem to be becoming increasingly jazzy. They’re an utterly fascinating band.
Learn more at www.acrmcr.com
I’d seen headliners Porridge Radio at the Victorious Festival last year, and was broadly unimpressed. They seemed serious and a bit dull. Tonight they are much more self-assured and relaxed. Indeed, vocalist and guitarist Dana Margolin even laughs! The perceived dullness at Victorious Festival is replaced by a bruising intensity, and the audience hang on to every word. They are a worthy closing act to an excellent weekend. Also, much credit should go to the organisers for putting on this event in very difficult circumstances.
Porridge Radio can be found at porridgeradio.com
Read our report on Day One of ‘Rockaway Beach’ HERE.
Read our report on Day Two of ‘Rockaway Beach’ HERE.
