Gig Review - Double Denim Live Presents: Carnation with support from Life At The Arcade, Defender and Louie James
Double Denim Live returned to Verve Bar in Leeds to host a night of ebullient music from Carnation, Life at the Arcade, Defender and Louie James.
Kicking the night off was a solo set from Wakefield singer-songwriter Louie James. James played a range of original and cover songs, showcasing his brand of soulful and sincere tunes.
His guitar playing was entertaining, and offered a good variety of riffs and harmonies. All the tracks had their own identity, whilst maintaining a distinct sound for his music as a whole.
His greatest strength is his quirky lyrics. Whether he was singing about a 'gravy splash' or annoying a taxi driver when he got 'food on his seat belt', his lyrics possess a candid charm that gave his tracks a witty edge.
His cover of Motorhead's 'Ace of Spades' was the highlight of his set. He put a refreshing twist on the rock classic, drawing from early 00s indie influences with the melody and incorporating a chilled blues undertone to the riffs.
To elevate his performance he should interact with the audience more, as at points it was more of a rendition than a performance. He needs to open his eyes and sing to the room rather than his shoes.
Overall however, it was a promising performance and he's clearly a very talented musician.
Catch him at Kazoopa Festival at the Bad Apples Acoustic Stage at 18:45.
Up next was Defender, an indie group made up the four proudest Yorkshire-men I've ever encountered.
Their sound was undeniably inspired by the likes of the Arctic Monkeys and the 00s indie scene. Lots of dry, witty lyrics, upbeat guitar riffs and pulsing bass lines.
Unfortunately the vocals were often quite flat or monotonous, but they made up for it through their hysterical lyrics. The whole room was chuckling along to lyrics about everything from tiramisu to Kerry Katona.
They also did a cover of TLC's 'No Scrubs', which was surprisingly good for a group of white middle-aged Yorkshire blokes.
Are they the next big thing? I very much doubt it. However they were fun to watch and definitely warmed the crowd up for the next act, which is everything you want from a support act.
Main support of the night was Liverpool indie-rockers Life at the Arcade, sporting an array of jazzy shirts and skinny jeans so tight that their phones and wallets looked like tumorous growths in their pockets.
Their sound radiated a cool, upbeat vibe, fuelled by peppy guitar riffs, energetic percussion, suave vocals and the prominent bass lines gave their songs a sating depth.
It's feel-good indie but with a sturdy musical backbone - they're not just churning out easy listens, their songs are full of character and attitude.
Their poppier tracks were really akin to The Hunna - full of catchy melodies that got the whole room dancing along.
Whilst their slowest track, 'Breathe', was driven by ambient harmonies and tranquil melodies, highlighting a good range within their set.
Overall - they're a solid indie-rock group that have some great tunes and know how to work a room.
Headlining the night was Carnation. A group that embodies the very best of indie rock. The room was packed and totally hooked on their brand of distorted, herculean riffs, angst fuelled vocals and hearty bass.
They emitted a colossal, radioactive energy that fuelled an electric atmosphere. There was chanting, mosh pits, lads on their mate's shoulders and crowd surfing. The room turned into an animalistic stampede when they incorporated Solo 45's 'Feed 'Em to the Lions' into a jam.
If you're after a tame night out, then avoid Carnation. But if you're after a boisterous, wild night, then they're your lads. They were just superb.
The indie scene has become saturated with underwhelming, plinky-plonky bands, and Carnation smash through this bland wall with beefy distorted riffs and belt-it-out choruses.
Their heavier tracks are definitely their strongest - in particular their new track 'Bombsite', which was composed of gorgeously naughty riffs that would make a nun groan. It was dark, brooding and loud and made the room explode.
The instrumentals and guitar solos pack a heavy-weight punch that will enliven any audience and could easily fill a stadium.
I could spend ages articulating all the ins and outs of their mammoth sound - but all you need to know is that they're really fucking cool. If you haven't seen them yet, then you're seriously missing out.
They're loud, gritty and ballsy - everything Manchester-bred indie rock should be. Carnation are most certainly ones to watch. Hats off to you lads.
Catch them at Kazoopa Festival at Milo at 18:00.
FOLLOW SOUNDS OF AN ECCENTRIC
Comments
Post a Comment