Live Review
High Tyde
The Haunt, Brighton
April 29 2016
Words: Harry Barnes
In a windswept Brighton, local alt-indie lads High Tyde delivered a high-energy set to bring their current (part sold out) UK tour to a resounding close. If the vibe was low-key prior to 9pm, as soon as the four-piece took to the stage, they straightaway had the crowd in side, jumping and singing every word back.
‘Do What You Want To’ opened the set, with a thudding bass line (interestingly, played on guitar) and reverb-laden guitar work. Throughout the night, lead singer Cody Thomas-Matthews spoke to the crowd frequently, whether it was before stage diving in the third song, or prompting a wall of death – twice.
Playing to a crowd that filled The Haunt's room to the brim, it's not often that I have seen the place so full, not to mention, alive, in the three years I’ve been going there, and that includes a long list of similar bands, many further down the road in their career than these guys. That's not to say that High Tyde haven't started to impress, with four EPs already under their belt, a fifth, 'Safe', released just a few weeks ago, and 6,000 followers on Twitter, they are well along on their own path. Given they are still in their late teens, their ability to work the room - with mosh pit mania ensuing - is another feather in their collective cap.
The guitars both had a brilliant range from sound bass-driven and impactful at one moment, and then at the flick of a wrist and perhaps a pedal, they could be playing lead worthy of Foals’ next batch of material in songs like ‘Feel It’ and ‘Dark Love’. Everything sounded better live, too, perhaps a comment to make about their production levels, or perhaps due to the fantastic sound they produced so cohesively tonight.
Everyone has their part to play in music today, and this band is no different. They thanked their friends and family, something that any small band will know is integral to getting airtime and noticed. It’s good to see a local venue packed more than ever with a local band. On my way out I noticed the lead guitarist from another up and coming local band, Fickle Friends, had been enjoying the show.
High Tyde draw the night to a close with ‘Dark Love’ which really is a fantastic song, and worthy of the admittance price alone for the crowd reaction and pitch-perfect, vocoded vocals from their frontman. I am sure this band are destined for great things, as they impressed me so much more at a £6 price tag than Royal Blood did for the same amount two years previous. Let’s hope they can make just as much of an impact when they hit the big time.
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