Straight off the back of their debut self-titled album, Essex-based Bilk brought the noise to a sold out Bodega, with a set that raised the roof and shook the floor...
The crowd was treated to two excellent support sets from Marvin’s Revenge and Shambolics, and both bands impressed the audience and converted many into fans as a result. First, Marvin’s Revenge brought a mighty bite to the room with powerful and punchy chords, along with an energy perfectly fit for the night to come.
They were then followed by Shambolics, who provided a wonderful dose of Scottish indie to the night. Multiple members of the crowd were singing along to tracks like If You Want It, which shows a lot of promise for their upcoming headline gigs, that they teased to much applause. With catchy choruses, danceable melodies and an earnestness that allowed the audience to instantly connect with the band, they absolutely deserve to be on more people’s radar.
And then entered Bilk, much to the joy of several audience members who had already climbed onto their mate’s shoulders in between acts. A number of beach balls were already being chucked about left right and centre… Bilk were only coming on to join OUR party.
Opening up with Fashion, the mosh pit immediately opened, swallowing the whole room. With flailing limbs and pounding energy coursing through The Bodega, it felt like we were in an earthquake, with the most pronounced under-foot tremors I’ve ever felt at a gig. Their striking riffs and their spitting hip-hop/punk rock lyrics acted as a driving force, pumping us up for the rest of the set.
They followed with fan favourite Be Someone, nearly knocking me over within the first five seconds, despite being nowhere near the pit’s epicentre. This wasn’t an issue though – it was merely just impressive how much energy was in the room. On the whole, the crowd was friendly and enthusiastic, with a lot of bright eyed young friend groups relishing in the moment together, whether that be through throwing their arms around each other or forming their own mosh circles.
It harked back to festival season, where it’s clear Bilk will flourish. Their music is meant for a beer-fuelled field in the summer sun with your mates, and for the night, it felt like that’s where we were.
After a scramble by the crowd to catch drummer Harry Gray’s drumstick, they then launched into Brand New Day, which a certain audience member had been particularly excited about, and was asking them to play. They certainly did not disappoint, with more perfectly angsty riffs and pounding drums that capture the track’s frustration.
Taking a break from their album, they pulled out an old favourite; CM2. This is a track that really highlights their winning formula, with opening lyrics about Tesco meal deals and being bored in Chelmsford with ‘nothing to do’. It’s clear to see why their audience is made up of young festival-aged people – they speak their language. That’s not to say that there weren’t older folks getting involved; there were quite a few in the pit giving it just as much as the youth.
Bilk took it down a peg with their love song In Your Car which saw half the room climb onto shoulders and sway, with arms around their friends. It felt like that moment in the summer when the sun’s going down but you’re a few pints deep with your best friends and it feels like the world’s yours to take. I came to the gig on my own, and made friends with a group of students that I didn’t know, and despite this, I felt that love even without the personal connection some of the other people in the room were having.
They ended their set with Daydreamer, which saw the room erupt once again into movement. Once again showcasing their rough and rousing punky hip-hop, it’s clear to see that they’ve really got that Jamie T-esque, nostalgic indie frustration with their sound, but for a brand new generation. It’s no wonder that they sold out the night.
They then left the stage before returning for their encore, which very much matched the political unrest in the room, given the scattered chants of ‘f*** the Tories’ that could be heard throughout the night. Sol, the frontman, condemned the Tory government before ending the night with Stand Up, an angry call-to-action track. If you weren’t sweaty before, you were after this one.
Bilk did an excellent job for a band so early on in their careers. It’ll be no surprise to me when they’re selling out Rescue Rooms and beyond in years to come. When you’re out and about in festival season this year, they’ve got an energy that should not be missed.
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