Great start. Latin meets pop in this 5 piece fusion where space is the word and playing for the song is key. Fronted by Letty with beautiful melodies that glide over the rhythms of the band. Panki keeps a solid beat with great expression and feel, and Dan on bass is locked in. Bert’s rhythm/lead guitar playing is superb, and tonight they were joined by a saxophone player who was just as superb, offering new musical insights and layers to an already great performance. Loved the song that Letty exclaimed to the crowd was her ‘favourite’. I think it might have been the crowds, too.

Grunge meets Britpop. I could hear alt 90s and a modern indie influence. The band were tight and felt like a solid unit. The vocalist (who’s name I didn’t catch) had a good voice and a stage presence reminiscent of a Gallagher or two, leaning forward and delivering some great lyrics and stellar vibes. (Might be worth a mention here that the son of Liam G is actually performing at The Cavern in a few weeks). Bass and drums were locked in, and the guitars were super tasteful and complimented the songs well.

70’s inspired (I imagine) Indie band Halfcut put on a great show. Replacing another band at short notice these Uni lads represented the new age of indi-rock, in the local scene with some well crafted original songs and a loyal following down the front, blending 2000’s era indie with 70’s style. Gil on Lead guitar, who’s first gig it was with the band, had a pickless technique that was as fresh and dynamic to watch, and although I had seen videos of Gil playing acoustic, tonight he was an all live, Hendrixy blur.

Frontman Lucas looked the part, putting on an authentic performance, making the crowd feel as if he’s giving us a personal show in his most comfortable place. Excited to hear more originals from them! I enjoyed the Animals cover of The House Of The Rising Sun very much!

My first time seeing Leonard and they live up to their reputation. Songs oozed humour and catchy choruses while staying fresh. Mixing hip hop with hard rock and pop melodies reminded me of The Breeders, with guitar tones that felt very early Weezer. 

They were clearly having fun, which fed into the crowd. Riot grrrl-style drums and locked-in bass drove the set, and both guitarists delivered face-melting solos. Songwriting felt sharp, my head was experiencing Steven Tyler/Steel Panther/Courtney Love/Deftones all at the same time. The drummer left the kit steaming. And probably broken. Get on.

Brian Adams Americana meets modern pop. Haytor was incredible. Despite early technical issues, they delivered a set of great originals, with their drummer laying into the drum kit as if the kit itself had grown arms and hurt someone he loved dearly. Solos drenched in reverb were standout moments, and the singer delivered tremendous vocals the entire performance. Although without a bass player, I didn’t notice until the band asked bass players in the audience to send in CV’s to their email to join the band. The backing tracks worked fine, although i’d love to see it all live, and they played the best cover of Chappel Roan’s Pink Pong Club i’ve seen. It left me speechless. What a f**kin tune!