London punk rock outfit The Molotovs have become one of the UK’s hottest young bands. Their sharp, punchy anthems are delivered with highly charged stagecraft that leaves absolutely nothing in the dressing room and resonates with an eclectic audience of those in the know.
Still in their teens, they’ve been handpicked by the likes of the Sex Pistols, Blondie, The Libertines and Adam Ant to share the stage, and have been championed by Green Day both on stage and in press.
The Molotovs are heading out on a UK tour this spring, where they will be giving fully energized shows in Birmingham, Sheffield, Bedford, Ramsgate, York, Lowestoft, Nottingham, Liverpool, Brighton, Exeter, Leeds, Stockton, Norwich and London. The Brighton date will be happening on Wednesday 9th April at The Prince Albert. Tickets for this concert are on sale right now – Purchase yours HERE.
Want to know more about The Molotovs? Well you are in luck as we reviewed their performance at the Green Door Store on 12th April 2024 and here is Richie Nice’s account of that night….
The Molotovs are first on tonight, and a sizeable crowd has gathered as they take the stage. Formed as teenagers during lockdown by siblings Matt and Issey, they clearly have youth and energy on their side, having notched up well over 300 gigs, including supports for The Libertines and Blondie. Drummer Will is a more recent recruit, having joined at the end of last year.
The sartorial choices give a strong hint of the musical direction, with guitarist Matt looking like he’s landed the role of a young Paul Weller in a biopic of The Jam. The attention to detail is impressive: mod haircut and shades, first album black suit, bowling shoes and a black and white Rickenbacker 330. As someone who spent his teenage years following Messrs Weller, Foxton and Buckler, I’m getting a bit dewy-eyed as it becomes apparent Matt’s also got the moves and the mannerisms. Bassist Issey is house right, tall and glamorous, rocking an early 70s vibe with yellow hot pants and a hint of ‘A Clockwork Orange’ in her bowler hat and boots. It’s no surprise that her instrument of choice is a Rickenbacker 4003, and she’s digging into it with gusto, grooving hard and pulling shapes. Behind the kit, Will sports a retro yellow tracksuit top, and is getting some considerable altitude with his stick hits. Visually, the trio are young, good looking, and super stylish, and it seems highly appropriate that the legendary Derek D’Souza is amongst the numerous snappers down at the front. He was formerly official photographer for, you guessed it, The Jam.
Musically, it’s short sharp bursts of well-crafted, catchy guitar pop, played with a lively punky energy. There’s nothing particularly groundbreaking here, especially to someone of my age, but it sure is a whole lot of fun. Opener ‘Don’t Doubt Me’ is a stompy romp that reminds me a bit of The Fratellis, while ‘Geraldine’ is full of big hits and drum builds and an effective dual vocal exchange between the two front players. ‘Daydreaming’ has a steadier pace with big clanging chords punctuated by nifty stops and pushes.
‘Father Flag’, introduced as a new number, is briskly urgent, with a subtle hint of ‘Heatwave’ in the chorus progression. The lead-led bluster of ‘Satisfaction Guaranteed’ slams on the brakes for a half-speed middle section, and there’s a huge snare build in the middle of ‘Newsflash’, segueing into the fastest cover of ‘Suffragette City’ I’ve ever heard. Another new song, ‘The Game’, sees Matt switch to a Fender Jazzmaster, and our man is once again channelling the modfather with a Weller-style lean back during the excellent ‘More More More’. There’s plenty of air under his athletic leaps during the bouncy ‘Come On Now’, and I really enjoy the good time rock’n’roll of a fine cover of Little Richard’s ‘Slippin And Slidin’.
Jangling arpeggios open ‘Wasted On Youth’, and it looks cool when Issey and Matt swap mic positions as they dance around the stage. We’re treated to a gallop through The Bangles’ ‘Walk Like An Egyptian’, with Issey taking the lead vocal. There’s a nod to ‘A Bomb In Wardour Street’ during the tub-thumping intro to ‘Johnny Don’t be Scared’, the standout number of the set for me with a naggingly catchy chorus, and they’re joined onstage by Laurie Wright for riff-led set closer ‘Today’s Gonna Be Our Day’.
There’s no doubt that The Molotovs are a phenomenally accomplished live unit. With their looks, style and Matt’s obvious songwriting prowess, it’s easy to imagine them achieving much wider recognition. I suspect that if the writer can one day escape the shadow of his hero and find his own unique voice, they’ll be unstoppable.
The Molotovs:
Matt Molotov – vocals, guitar
Issey Carts – bass, vocals
Will Fooks – drums
The Molotovs setlist:
‘Don’t Doubt Me’
‘Geraldine’
‘Daydreaming’
‘Father Flag’
‘Satisfaction Guaranteed’
‘Newsflash’
‘Suffragette City’ (David Bowie cover)
‘Wasted On Youth’
‘The Game’
‘More More More’
‘Rhythm Of Yourself’
‘Come On Now’
‘Slippin and Slidin’ (Little Richard cover)
‘Wasted On Youth’
‘Walk Like an Egyptian’ (The Bangles cover)
‘Nothing Keeps Her Away’
‘Johnny Don’t Be Scared’
‘Today’s Gonna Be Our Day’
