Last night Liverpudlian six-piece Red Rum Club enthralled a lively crowd at Leeds' Lending Room.
Kicking the night off was Leeds based four-piece Turnstones. Unfortunately, the majority of their set was timid and unimpressive. Their songs were pleasant enough, just very safe sounding, and they looked painfully awkward on stage.
However the last two tracks of their set were fantastic -they skyrocketed from blasé to ballsy. They engaged more with the audience and came out of their shells - it was like watching a completely different band. They need to scrap the first section of their set and focus on creating songs like the last two.
Up next was local group Paradas. Their front man had a dreamy rock tone, akin to Kings of Leon's Caleb Followill, with an admirable vocal range. His lilting vocals complimented the gritty classic rock inspired riffs, giving their sound a rich depth.
Occasionally their riffs were a bit repetitive, so it'd be interesting to see some counter melodies woven in to add a bit more variety to their set. That being said, their sound was big enough to carry a simple melody and their fun, upbeat performance was really entertaining
Main support for the night was Tiger Twins. Their lead guitarist stole the show with his super suave stage persona and impressive solos. Funk bass lines gave their music a real sense of character and powerful vocal harmonies enriched their catchy choruses.
Strangely, their recorded material sounds nothing like their live sets. They have a big, heavy live sound, but opt for a chilled Mac DeMarco-esque vibe on their two singles. The singles are still good, but Tiger Twins are definitely much better live.
Headlining the night was Liverpudlian sextet Red Rum Club, serving up a gorgeous indie rock meets Americana medley.
As well as the standard two guitar, bass, drums and vocals set up, Red Rum Club also have a trumpet player. Not only did this give their music a quirky edge, it gave their sound a grand, theatricality.
This emphasise on theatricality runs throughout their music, resulting in an unrivalled, Herculean sound. They've taken the best parts of indie to create catchy, feel good anthems then given them this larger than life, poignant character.
Their standout track was their upcoming single 'Calexico' (released February 16th). The track opens with gallant Mexican inspired trumpet, before welcoming front man Fran Doran's soulful serenade. Intricate guitar riffs, ebullient percussion and pulsing bass then caresses the listener, engulfing them in a colossal and charmingly alluring sound.
Their stage presence radiates an infectious energy that would enliven even the most conservative of crowds. They make a conscious effort to engage with the audience; in an organic, natural way, making it impossible to not dance along.
Every member of the band is a talented musician and their music isn't just catchy songs, they're compositionally stunning and showcase all their strengths and skills as performers.
The independent music scene is saturated with 'plinky-plonky indie' and Red Rum Club are a well needed breath of fresh air. There's not another band like them on the scene and they are most definitely ones to watch.
Hats off to you lads.
FOLLOW SOUNDS OF AN ECCENTRIC
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