Live Review :: Redfaces/Retro Video Club/BlackWaters :: The Hope & Ruin, Brighton - Oct 23 2018

Live 

Redfaces / Retro Video Club / BlackWaters

The Hope & Ruin, Brighton

October 23 2018

Words/Pictures: Steve Willcox

The Third Wheel Tour. An innovative concept taking three acts and putting them out on the road together, with each shining their respective headliner light in their own part of the country. So, we have, BlackWaters repping their original southern territory of Surrey (before decamping to Sheffield), Redfaces putting the Midlands on the map, and Retro Video Club waving the flag for those north of the border. Well, that was the plan at least, but tonight on the South Coast in Brighton, a bit of wheeling and dealing backstage sees Redfaces headlining.

Always a good live band, BlackWaters' frontman Max Tanner gets straight down to business launching iimmediately into ‘Fuck Yeah’, taking the standing audience by surprise, so by the time it ends most are still just starting to find their dancing feet. Luckily the energy continues as ‘Pick Me Up’ does what it says on the tin, delivering its musical punk narrative as the boys go full metal jacket into the fray,with Max almost electrocuting guitar player David Carpenter by attempting to pour water over his head during a vocal respite.

New song ‘I’m Not Your Man’ shows a band working at its best with well thought-out lyrics with catchy basslines from Ollie Franklin. Ending on a rip roaring ‘So Far Out’ with James Watkins' drums leaving brains addled with addictive beats, this could well have been a 'best of...' setlist.

Recently highlighted in Little Indie's Sing & Tell feature, Retro Video Club have been commanding a mini media buzz. These boys from Edinburgh have been together for 2.5yrs with a year hiatus in between, but are selling out 700 capacity venues back home. This show is just their third ever gig in England, so tonight’s a baptism of fire.

Leading with their debut single ‘Psycho’, its slow start with Liam Allison’s vocals having reflective moment, it soon gives way to a barrage of edgy guitar riffs and drumbeats that slash their way through the song ‘Chemistry’ picks up pace with its rock guitar chords and lyrical content as it segues seamlessly into last year's ‘Famous’ with catchy shout out chorus “cause everyone wants to get famous, falling in love with the status”. Liam’s vocals are tuneful with a passion that’s clear and focussed, as witnessed on latest earworm single ‘3AM’; a great sounding number with pumping bass and relentless drum hits throughout, and on closer ‘1993’, a tune matching calypso guitars with an indie rock gloss that slips down the ears a treat.

Redfaces from Sheffield are the main act tonight. Looking as these young indie pop lads take to the stage, there may have been an initial wariness for those unfamiliar with them about whether they could hold a crowd and have the requisite sass to pull it off. But if there were any doubts these were dispelled right from opening number ‘Getting Away With It’, and it's not long before the crowd are surging forwards to hear current single ‘Messed Up Feeling’, as singer Harry Lyon’s crisp clean vocals and Charlie Yapp's pulsating drums fill the room.

Last year's breakthrough song ‘Kerosene’ lights a fire on the floor as people start to dance along, with Ryan Laycock’s guitar riffs and Isaac White’s bass sounds working in perfect combo. Last song ‘Take it or Leave it’, with its dark riff and it’s rousing chorus “So you can take it or leave it, but I won't let you slip right through”, ends this evening's proceedings. Not only have the wheels of the tour bus not fallen off, but it has probably now added an extra wheel with all three bands gaining a bigger fanbase in Brighton.