Crosa Rosa. photo: Samantha Hook Photography
It’s all go on the noisier end of Nottingham’s musical spectrum at the moment, as this event proved. Kicking off the night’s proceedings were the three-piece Mannequin. With a guitarist who has obviously been schooled in rock, there were some powerful riffs being thrashed out from start to finish. Lead singer Sid screamed and growled relentlessly, his bass somehow both matching and clashing with the thrashier guitar sounds on the other side of the stage. An energetic set, it was a shame that the drums were lost in the mix as it proved to be a bit of a distraction that you could see the drummer putting in his all but you weren’t getting the full aural effect.
Taking it down a notch, Field Studies’ brand of alternative rock is somewhat calmer and more post rock than fist in the air. Playing with a confidence that is well placed, the aforementioned sound issues with the drums were thankfully rectified at the beginning of their set. The band’s rising harmonies and introspective lyrics floated effortlessly between the full sounds of the four-piece and seemed to fill every millimetre of the large space in the café bar, giving a sense of being all encompassed by them. A strong performance that demonstrated why they’re a band to catch live.
After first seeing Crosa Rosa perform at the 2014 Future Sound of Nottingham at Rock City, I’ve been a fan. The young trio seem to have captured the essence of nineties grunge and alternative rock, which itself borrowed from the sixties and seventies, to create a sound that doesn’t sound like a carbon copy, contrived or tired. Celebrating the release of their debut EP, Pantophobia, they threw themselves in to the night with vigour. Joe W (guitar/vocals) and Joe F (bass) looked like two stags battling it out as they jumped at each other in the heavier moments of their set, heads down – the whole band appearing more comfortable on stage than they’ve ever been.
With tunes rife with fuzzy guitars, pounding drums and catchy hooks, Joe W’s vocals rose above the noise and went from heart breaking to screaming, all the while remaining in tune – no easy feat. They also, notably, more than did justice to a cover of Amy Winehouse’s You Know I’m No Good, reconstructing it to fit their sound in a way that wouldn’t have been out of place on Radio 1’s Live Lounge. If you’re looking for something new to please your ears and stir your soul, you won’t go far wrong investing in a copy of their EP.
Crosa Rosa, Field Studies and Mannequin played at Nottingham Contemporary on Saturday 25 July 2015.
Crosa Rosa on Bandcamp
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