DEMOB HAPPY + SHADOW SHOW – THE HOPE & RUIN, BRIGHTON 15.4.22
On a busy Brighton night, it really was a Good Friday to kick off the Easter weekend as The Hope & Ruin was sold out by alternative rock band Demob Happy.
This was not like any Demob gig I’ve been to before, as tonight the band took to the stage to test their upcoming material for their new album in front of a crowd for the very first time.
Demob Happy are a 3 piece alternative rock band, originally from Newcastle. The band have been based in Brighton for many years, and were last seen playing in Patterns in September. Tonight’s smaller and intimate show sold out in a matter of days leaving a huge sense of excitement for the evening,
Despite doors being pushed back to a very late 9pm start, kicking off the evening was psychedelic three piece Shadow Show. Originally from Detroit the American group immediately brought a huge sense of glamour to the stage as they walked on in their matching velvet jumpsuits.
Opening their set first track with ‘Outta Control’, guitarist Ava East’s vocals stood out to create a dreamy atmosphere that filled the packed out venue. Following with tunes ‘Charades’ and ‘Aunt Mary’, they very quickly won over the audience with bassist Kate Derringer and drummer Kerrigan Pearce’s driving rhythms and engaging stage presence.
The set featured many songs from the 2022 album ‘Silhouettes’, including stand out track ‘Trapeze Act’. Through encouraging the crowd to sing and dance along, by their penultimate track ‘Clown Song’, they had the whole audience fully won over and dancing along to the indie guitar riffs before bringing their 45 minute set to a close with their final song ‘On A Cloud’. You can catch Shadow Show in Newcastle on the 17th April.
Find out more about them by visiting their official website HERE.
After a short 30 minute break, headline act Demob Happy took to the stage. The three-piece consisting of Matthew Marcantonio (vocals/bass), Adam Godfrey (guitar/vocals) and Thomas Armstrong (drums/vocals), opened the set with 2019 fan-favourite single ‘AutoPortrait’, an upbeat indie tune filled with groovy riffs that instantly sparked the crowd’s energy to open the first mosh pit out of many of the night.
Following straight into second tune ‘Loosen It’ from 2019 album ‘Holy Doom’ and ‘Succubus’ from the band’s 2015 debut album ‘Dream Soda’. After this introduction the band explained the purpose of the evening, for the audience to be their guinea pigs for new material they hope to be releasing as part of a new record label deal to be signed this week, a very exciting opportunity for the band who have been operating as an independent DIY band for the last 15 years.
Opening with first brand new tune ‘Are You Thinking’, which was packed full of the signature Demob Happy riffage fans have grown to expect from the band. They continued with new songs, ‘Vodou Science’, which saw guitarist Adam Godfrey take the lead with his intricate and rhythmic playing, alongside Tom Armstrong’s driving drum beats and backing vocals, following with next tune ‘I Have A Problem’. Next song ‘As Happy As A Man Can Be’ saw bassist and lead singer Matthew Marcantonio trade his bass for a piano as the band played a brand new ballad, although nothing like the crowd had heard before, it became obvious that this was a huge success amongst their fans.
Much to the crowd’s surprise, the trio then broke into another crowd favourite from 2018 album ‘Be Your Man’, before finishing their 45 minute set with final track ‘Less Is More’.
After the evening of excitement, I’m sure fans like myself will be counting down the days until this new album is available to buy. Alongside this announcement the band promised to be visiting “everywhere under the sun” on tour once the album is ready for the world to hear.
Demob Happy setlist:
‘AutoPortrait’
‘Loosen It’
‘Succubus’
‘I Have A Problem (I Ignore)’ (live debut)
‘Run Baby, Run’
‘Are You Thinking’
‘Mother Machine’
‘Happy As A Man Can Be’ (live debut)
‘Vodou Science’ (live debut)
‘The Name Of This Song’
‘Less Is More’
‘Be Your Man’
More info on Demob Happy at demob-happy.com
