Sonder. photo: Tom Morley
Sonder was first to take to the stage and she got people’s attention from the minute she opened her mouth and a hair-rising voice came out. In this day and age it can still still be hard to find enough talented female performers in the alternative/indie genre to outshine their male counterparts, however, she does it with such grace and versatility that it’s impossible to forget her; and by writing her own songs, she has that extra sense of personality missed from more amateur musical acts in this genre. Her voice is just as beautiful during the softer parts of her songs as during the more powerful moments. The mixture of up-tempo tracks that she performed alongside a collection of slower tracks kept your ears and eyes glued, feeling a little clueless as to what was to expect next. In a way, her delicate stage presence added to the edgy personality and the musical skill of this girl reminded me of a rockier Florence and The Machine.
The Hijinks sauntered onto the stage in their cool and laid back way, while their eye-catching hair certainly didn’t take attention away from the awesome music they played – although it really is impressive hair. With their very cool and collected vibes, not only from the Irish charm and suede fringe jacket of the lead singer, but the ease at which they made playing their songs look, it was difficult to take your eyes off them. The catchy riffs and lyrics made you want to join in, and I’m sure after a few beers, there would have been plenty of people in the audience wanting to jump on stage and sing along with them. As they changed up the pace it kept you on your toes as to what they’d do next, and you simply could not leave the room – however much you needed the loo. The band of four was so in sync with each other that it was as if they had been playing together since they were babies, and the recognisable voice from the lead singer just added to the addictive persona of the whole band. They certainly got the crowd excited and ready for the headline act of the night.
Amulet. photo: Tom Morley
The Bodega was well and truly full as Amulet took to the stage, and rightly so, for the band absolutely owned the place straight from the start. Their confident and comfortable demeanour showed just how much this group love to create and play music. They looked like they would be at home home headlining a huge stadium show. It was clear that they’re inspired by Oasis, however, they took the inspiration and made that style of music their own – something that not many Gallagher-inspired bands can do. Although they’re very much an indie band, they have managed to pull off the almost impossible, and separate themselves from similar bands by adding their own unique style to their music. Their songs weren’t only original, but they were catchy too, making you dance and attempt to sing along whether you know the words or not. There was however, a very clever cover of White Noise tucked into their set, which was barely recognisable, but sure enough everyone was singing along to by the time they reached the chorus.
The gig couldn’t have gone better, with three awesome and diverse acts that were equally as talented, proving why they deserve to be performing music to crowds, gaining fans and showing their potential to move onto bigger and better stages.
Amulet, The Hijinks and Sonder performed at The Bodega on Friday 17 June 2016.
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