Everyone’s favourite dark punk bassist and gig-goer Scott Hays has reviewed his favourite nights from recent times in Sunderland, including a couple of bands that impressed him at Waves festival.
Social Youth Cult – Vixen Bar – Hartlepool – 15/11
Dark, edgy gothic post-punk from Newcastle. Four young people making music, but born
several decades too late. This is 1980s post-punk with a heavy shot of goth thrown in for good
measure. Driving drums and bass underpin a distorted frantic guitar with spiky Northern vocals.
The sound coming from the stage is raw, unpolished and unforgiving. A 30-minute assault upon
the senses.
Onlooker – Museum Vaults – Waves Festival – 16/11
Onlooker played a high-paced blend of in-your-face garage rock. Noisy, addictive and unashamedly abrasive. Short, sharp slabs of noise fill the air tonight. Bold songs that hit the ears with an urgent, unrelenting sound. Blink and the set is over as the crowd in the Museum Vaults is left reeling.
Fast Blood – The Ship Isis – Waves Festival – 16/11
Fast Blood delivered, for me, the performance of Waves Festival. The band mixed elements of punk with the driving energy of 1980s hardcore (Black Flag, etc.) while venting frustrations and expelling past demons. Vocalist Abi Barlow delivers introspective, self-examining lyrics that are authentic, empowering and uplifting against an intense and articulate wall of noise. Angsty, melodic, visceral and real. A shot of Novacaine to numb the outside world.
Patrick Gosling and Tearjerker – Ship Isis – 9/11
Tearjerker opened the night with an acoustic set that stripped away the layers of their usual high-energy, melodic punk rock, delivering a raw, emotional performance. Harmonised vocals tugged at the heartstrings while duelling guitars wove intricate melodies that held everyone captive.
Patrick Gosling is fast becoming established as the leading local artist of all things upbeat and indie rock. This set was a masterclass in emotional connection, as his intricate guitar work and soul-stirring vocals blend seamlessly into soundscapes that transport you far from the everyday. It’s difficult to imagine the North East music scene without the likes of Patrick, as he is such a defining part of it.
