Lock-in began their life as a band in far from serious circumstances. Fast-forward a few years, the Essex outfit now residing in London and have a string of festivals to their name. They recently supported The K’s for This Feeling’s Teenage Cancer Trust night at Lower Third and we were there to check them out.
On record, a teenage innocence permeates their lyrics. Riddled with heartache and angst, they transport the oldest of souls back to the slumber of relationship woes. Live though, Lock-in are joyously learning to beef up their 00s revival sound.
‘I Caught Feelings’, via Ollie’s drumming builds to a raucous Milburn-esque crescendo. The lovelorn characters are built up to the fringes of rock ‘n’ roll with the shimmering guitar licks and frontman Benjy Leak’s swagger. The intro to set closer ‘Yours Sincerely’, more muscular than ever, adopts the angular mod riffs of The Rifles’ ‘She’s Got Standards’ and the punk of Good Shoes. The as yet unreleased ‘Sweet Love’ is their most bullish track to date and seemed to signify a departure from their cuter intonations.
On ‘Know The Score’ and ‘Get Over It’, they have serious weaponry to unleash on indie fans. The formers disco stomp hooked in the London crowd before frontman Benjy wielded his refreshingly ambitious stage presence. On ‘Get Over It’, something so instantaneous which allows them to dial down the bravado and thus, lets the audience feel a bigger part of their journey.
On this showing, it won’t be long they are headlining venues like this.
*image courtesy of the band