Sleeper: Chinnerys, Southend

90s icons Sleeper took to Chnnerys in Southend last Friday to play for Indie Cult Club.

Since their return in 2017, Sleeper have been gracing big stages and Festival headline slots. So it was a rare treat for the 600 who crammed into the seaside venue on a balmy summer’s evening.

*image credit: Oscr Visuals

And what a treat it was!

2019’s comeback album, ‘The Modern Age’, as credible a comeback as any from the Britpop contingent, featured thrice in the set. ‘Look At You Now’ cuts through the mid-90s singles with Louise Wener’s elegant performance and Jon Stewart’s warped homage to the Pixies on guitar.  ‘The Sun Also Rises’, crisp and aloof, worked the room like an IT girl, knowing everyone's secrets. Meanwhile, ‘Cellophane’s hooks hit like a hammer while Wener served up a boisterous vocal to unite a rapturous crowd.

Elsewhere, the set is littered with classics that lit up the UK from ’94 to ’97. ‘Statuesque’ shone brightest as the Southend faithful bounced in unison, defying their years. Stewart’s playing was muscular and aggressive, allowing Wener to parade the stage and perform the song instead. ‘Delicious’ sounded as cute and vibrant as ever, and ‘Sale of the Century’ blitzed its way through the sweat-filled room with the freedom of a teenager coming of age.

This summer may be about other 90s bands, but Sleeper proved their tales of sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll will live forever with the same potency.

Inspiral Carpets: Chinnerys, Southend

Manchester icons Inspiral Carpets played Southend’s iconic seafront venue Chinnerys last week to a sold-out Indie Cult Club crowd. Last time in Southend, the Inspirals were supporting the Happy Mondays at Cliffs Pavillion. They stole the show that night, this time out, they were after souls.

Image Credits: Gas & Shutter. Courtesy of Indie Cult Club

‘Two Worlds Collide’ gave the set a euphoric crowning glory, the kind that people will talk about for years to come. With every passing year, it carries more weight and emotional heft. Lost lives, lovers, and chances of redemption flood the senses as Stephen Holt’s divine soul vocal causes eyes to close and hearts to open. Pin. Drop. Moment!

The poignancy continued to flow from the band on ‘Beast Inside.’ As Holt decreed, “guess a man is no man / If he doesn’t have the beast inside,” the band and crowd united in a powerful moment of self-reflection.

When they stepped on the power, punk’s riotous energy coursed through them. A thunderous rendition of ‘Joe’ bordered on insanity as chaotic drums and Boons iconic organ riff locked horns. ‘I Want You’ was at it’s destructive best, flailing into the ether like a lost soul with nothing to lose. Devastatingly good.

Three decades after their debut, the Inspirals have found a vein of form that hit dangerous levels of intoxication at Chinnerys. Mooooooooooooooooooooo.

All The Young: Chinnerys, Southend

Stoke’s All The Young made their second appearance at Southend’s Indie Cult Club this past week, supporting My Life Story at Chinnerys.

Their unexpected return in 2022 threw up questions from fans. Where had they been? Why are they not massive? When they released the long-awaited second album ‘Tales of Grandeur’, it was as though they’d never been away. Back came the euphoric anthems. Back came hope!

With the heavyweight power of ‘The Horizon’ making Chinnerys feel like Wembley Stadium, that hope was not misplaced. The stomping glory of ‘Another Miracle’ put Ryan Dooley back a pedestal with the greats as his vocal yelps with emotion and digs in with rock ‘n’ roll’s defiance.

New single ‘Demons’ cut through their archetypal hedonism with DMA’s pop sensibilities and the kind of masculine self-reflection the world has been craving in the wake of Jack Throne and Stephen Graham’s masterpiece ‘Adolescence’. Few can say they wrote a good single thirteen years into their careers, ATY can boast a great one and Southend knew it.

On ‘The First Time’, if anyone was in doubt, ATY reminded Southend they have the perfect live anthem in their repertoire. Guttural emotion and explosive guitars washed over the room to set souls free.

All The Young complete their tour tonight at the iconic Sugarmill in Stoke. Roll on the next one!

Trip Hazard: Chinnerys, Southend

Southend’s Trip Hazard recently opened for Desperate Journalist at Chinnerys as part of the Indie Cult Club and we were there to check them out.

*banner image courtesy of Oscr Visuals

Image courtesy of Oscr Visuals

On set opener ‘Nasty Party’, frontwoman Lottey set the stage ablaze with her compelling punk rock volatility. Her iconic indie sleaze hair thrashed with abandon to Sam’s heavy-hitting guitars. If they can harness this power in the studio more, then the next voices of a generation will be born.

Lottey continued her masterful performance on ‘Body’ and its reprise. The struts, the pivots, and the knowing looks to band members were nothing short of mesmerising. To have a crowd in the palm of your hand when the songs are not quite there is truly astonishing.

Whilst their cannon currently lacks the hooks and anthems to catapult them further, it’s surely only a matter of time. On ‘Yellow’ and ‘High Horse’, the seeds of great songwriting are beginning to take root. Both brought the temperature down and gave the band space to breathe bringing the power of Black Honey and The Big Moon into play.

Trip Hazard set a standard at the Indie Cult Club that’s making their next moves unmissable.

Desperate Journalist: Chinnerys, Southend

London’s Desperate Journalist kicked off their UK tour at Southend’s Chinnerys last week. Playing for Indie Cult Club, it marked the run-up to their fifth album, ‘No Hero,’ which is out on September 27th via Fierce Panda Records.

*image courtesy of Indie Cult Club

Five tracks from No Hero feature in the set, with latest single ‘You Say You’re Lonely’ and ‘Unsympathetic Parts 1 & 2’ shining brightest. The former was nothing short of a pin-drop moment. The pain and anguish oozing through front woman Jo Bevan’s vocal was intoxicating at times, but she cut through it with the aid of the sumptuous keys, and her vocal uplifts that were worthy of pop music royalty. It’s so easy to see why Brett Anderson loves this band; it’s less so to understand why they’re not national treasures. On ‘Unsympathetic Parts 1 & 2’, bassist Simon Drowner’ bass playing is hitting its peak on the latter. Flitting between hopeful and crushing, pulling the intimate Southend faithful from dark to light whilst guitarist Rob Harvey sprinkled cinematic shimmering guitars to build an aching atmosphere.

Over the past three studio albums, the band has become a masterclass of emotional depth and gothic textures. But when they launch into the free-flowing "Why Are You So Boring?" Two songs in, they remind everyone that every so often, pop majesty lies beneath the blackened eyeliner.

It’s not all emotion-fraying Johnny Marr licks and Cocteau Twins moonlit eloquence. The mid-point is set ablaze by the poignant rollercoaster of ‘Cedars’. When they let their melodic instincts loose, Bevan goes from cult hero to rock icon. Her vocal wrapping around Harvey’s ecstatic guitars proves that band chemistry is still worth dying for. In set closer ‘Satellite’, they have a behemoth record of sending any crowd home with their jaw dragging the streets in awe.

Their backward, misspent youth gave the intimate Southend crowd something to cling to with teenage obsessive levels of devotion. Some bands entertain, but some can impart a devotion, a connection, that makes you howl their brilliance into the night in the hope that everyone will listen. Desperate Journalist are that band.  

Echobelly: Chinnerys, Southend

Britpop icons Echobelly have been on the road recently, and we were there to see them at Chinnerys in Southend. Supported by Keeley, they were playing as part of the burgeoning Indie Cult Club.

*all images courtesy of Harvey Oscar Brown (@oscrvisual)

For bands like Echobelly, it can be tricky to negate the past. Southend was no different, with endless chatter for small pockets of the room. What those people forgot about the past, though, is Sonya Madan is a badass frontwoman who takes no prisoners. Her beguiling stage presence and telling said people “to shut the fuck up” was met in equal gratitude from the loving faithful.

Madan, at times, is utterly mesmeric. Arms aloft, gliding slowly across the room to ‘If The Dogs Don’t Get You, My Sisters Will’ as Glen Johnsson’s guitars trip with a thick psychedelic fog. There is something beautifully theatrical about their partnership. Madan’s vocal is devilish, enticing you into Johnsson’s spell, which can’t be undone.

This dynamic blossomed further on ‘Scream’ and set closer ‘Dark Therapy’, the former providing a real pin-drop moment. The pain and anguish oozing from the howling guitars was palpable. ‘Dark Therapy’s all these years on, still has the same emotive hypnotic power. The sliding guitars and Madan’s reflective and empowering vocals rise and tumble with breathtaking magnificence.

Although the set mainly contained the protracted art of their canon, in ‘In Great Things’ and ‘King of the Kerb’, they have two of the bona fide great singles of the 90s. Instinctive, sexy, and of their time, they transport you to a time when the art-rock scene of 1994 was blossoming in Camden. Images of debauchery at Blow Up club nights and record deals being signed in the Good Mixer rush to the forefront of elder minds becoming carefree once again.

Thirty years on since their debut album, Echobelly show no signs of slowing down creatively. Long may they reign.

Dirty Blonde: Chinnerys, Southend

Last Friday, Manchester’s Dirty Blonde opened up for 00s icons The Subways at Chinnerys in Southend as part of the Indie Cult Club.

Images courtesy of Gas & Shutter and Indie Cult Club

Former single ‘Come Over’, an opener that could set fire to any setlist, emerged from the gutter dripping in sex, drugs, and rock 'n roll. Filthy basslines and snarling licks swelled with devilish temptation. 

A rock anthem with a three-act structure is hard to find, but they delivered just that on ‘Don’t Cry’. Allis McKay, delivering a rare angelic vocal, sowed the seeds of romantic betrayal and a vulnerability in the protagonist you immediately root for:

“Celebrating with a bottle of Tequila
Too busy dancing to have the chance to miss you
Oh no are you sad? Well read the signs”

McKay’s vocals were deliciously sniping and sardonic as she laid waste to the ex. The melodic euphoria coursing through the cringing bleakness of the lyric “I got a missed call from your ex” was a moment of juxtaposition to saviour. When Dirty Blond hits bigger stages, one young person from Manchester will be cowing at their parents, eating their mummy’s sausage and beans for comfort..

Then, in the closing stages, the solo fires out with Noel Gallagher’s early sense of freedom and Slash’s showmanship to give the protagonist ultimate closure.

Dirty Blonde's dramatic storytelling was enough to captivate the packed Southend crowd, but they didn't stop there. They closed their set with ‘Run’, a monstrous guitar record that blended Royal Blood's intensity with BRMC's leather-clad rebellion.

What Wolf Alice started in 2015, Dirty Blonde are destined to end with a thunderous jolt to the guitar scene!

The Utopiates: Chinnerys, Southend

Last Week, 2023’s all-conquering heroes, The Utopiates, made their debut live appearance In Southend at Chinnerys as part of the burgeoning Indie Cult Club.

*banner image courtesy of Indie Cult Club

Josh Redding made a name for himself in 2023, and his surge towards the guitar icon shows no sign of slowing down. His protracted intro to the set opener ‘Seekers’ is divine. The spiralling licks floated into view, indicating that something special was coming. The dreamlike state of ‘Seekers’ glides into carnival grooves of ‘Devolution’, which dissipates for the intense dystopia of ‘Only Human’. An opening trio that, on paper, should jar but, in their hands, is seamless.

Most bands in their position would still be riding the crest of last year's wave. The Utopiates are already one new single into the journey towards album number (due later this year). ‘Love Pill’ marked a real stride forward creatively in the studio. Live, they harnessed its love of Ibiza and Chicago to make it into a starring role in the set, which is some going when the instant classic ‘Best and Worst Days’ present. Frontman Dan Popplewell’s vocal in the closing stages of ‘Love Pill’ transcends into a hymnal state, nourishing all that stands before him.

Image courtesy of Indie Cult Club

Frontman Popplewell continues to shine with his more aggressive take on ‘Making History’. His venomous delivery of the Oasis-tinged lyrics, “One day you’ll see, yeah they’ll look at me, I’m not up here making tunes, I’m making history!” gave the Black Grape-esque anthem the swagger and bitterness it merits.

Another glimpse of album number two came via the debut airing of ‘Insomnia’. On this showing, it is shaping up to be another album of the year contender.

The Skinner Brothers: Chinnerys, Southend

Back in June, The Skinner Brothers opened for The Music’s all-dayer comeback at Temple Newsum in Leeds. Much like The Coral did in 2002 at Finsbury Park, they announced themselves to many as pretenders to the throne. They blew the Snuts off stage and edged The Coral and The Cribs off too. Nothing that day was stopping The Music from being triumphant though.

Fast forward to this past Thursday and they were headlining Chinnerys in Southend. With home county support from The Lucettas and hometown support from San Quentin, you’d have been forgiven for thinking the same could have happened to them.

Not a chance!

In support of their latest EP ‘Lonedom’, they played the title track and ‘Mellow’. ‘Lonedom’, ironically ignores its message and unites a crowd in a sweat-ridden singalong. Meanwhile, the guitar hooks of ‘Mellow’ resound out like Carl Barat playing lead for the Arctic Monkeys

The acclaimed ‘Soul Boy II’ album makes up the bulk of the set. ‘Culture Non-Stop’ and ‘Iconic’ see Zachary Skinner’s laconic drawl drift through the seaside air to remind everyone who the mortal ones are. Whereas on record, the band often gets into a soulful groove, here, they are harder and faster. It takes their soulful sound towards The Reytons but with far more depth.

In 2002, The Libertines launched their good ship Albion. Not many fellow bands got it. The Skinner brothers did. Their rapport, free beers, and demanding people on their shoulders (and fuck the consequences) brought rock ‘n’ roll closer to the punters for the first time in a long time.

The Wedding Present : Chinnerys, Southend

Ten years on from their last visit, Leeds’ iconic Wedding Present returned to Chinnerys in Southend. The intention: to play their indie opus ‘Seamonsters’ in full.

A curious album to take on the road; where ‘George Best’ and ‘Bizarro’ lend themselves to youthful exuberance and righteous angst,’ Seamonsters’ turned to the introspection of the 30s with mere flashes of the rage that had carried them thus far in 1991.

It’s within that spirit that the audience largely gazed. On ‘Blonde’, Sarah’s Records and Nirvana’s pop-tinged grunge enters the affray; but it is Gedge’s forlorn protagonist that the audience has come to rejoice in. No matter how old and settled we become as an audience, Gedge has the ability to transport an audience back to their naive unrequited love days. Meanwhile, the gentle psychedelia of ‘Rotterdam’ in tandem with Gedge’s ability to wrap his unique voice around melody was truly life-affirming.

There are moments (with 30 years’ hindsight, of course) where their performance sheds light on how music travelled in the direction it did back then. Opener ‘Dalliance’ walks proud with Wedding Present identity, but raises a glass to early Andy Bell guitar licks and in the closing stages, Swervedriver’s future roar lurks on the horizon. ‘Dare’ also takes from their archetypal ‘Bizzarro’ sound to the precipice of grunge and shoegaze. It may at the time have been seen as a departure from what made people fall in love with them. But in 2022, it sounds like a band that knew which way the wind was blowing and had the creative nous to propel their vision beyond their humble start.

They do, of course, dip in and out of those modest beginnings with ‘My Favourite Dress’ sounding as vital as ever and ‘Everyone Thinks He Looks Daft’ remaining one of the most fun anthems ever written. 

Whilst being a night of nostalgia, the true beauty of ‘Seamonsters’ is it’s sonic of introspection and self-reflection. It gives everyone the breathing space for an hour; to ponder life, love, and loss, which, post-covid is akin to therapy.

The Wedding Present were never a force of nature but, they are a force to be reckoned with. They have an emotive power many would kill for. Long may they continue.

The Reytons: Chinnerys, Southend

Rotherham’s Reytons sold-out tour came to Southend two weeks ago. Truth be told, their phenomenon had passed us by. They were just a mid-card This Feeling band with too much noughties nostalgia, right?

Wrong! Although heavily indebted to the noughties, this was not parody but, the kind of pastiche that nudges the wheel, albeit slightly, forwards. However, whenever that decade’s chief exponent, the Arctic Monkeys came into play, their visceral beauty faded. ‘Expectations of Fool’ fell by the wayside and ‘Reckless’ strayed to ‘I bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor’ with a Boy Kill Boy haircut far too readily.

Images courtesy of https://www.filmfreephotography.co.uk/

Ultimately, it didn’t matter, the set was electric. Banger after banger with little or no rets between songs kept everything fizzing with punk glory.

Their venomous delivery took the best parts of 00s bands and made them feel like Spartan! ‘Harrison Lesser’ took the twanging glory of ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Eyes’ (yes, Razorlight, they weren’t always shite) and the pop cadence Jon Windle (Little Man Tate) to aggressive new pastures. Meanwhile, ‘Mind The Gap’ took the musings of Jon McClure and Ed Cosens into a siege mentality, and ‘Sales Pitch for the Bus Ride Home’, the greatest song title in a generation, took aim at The Enemy’s penchant for sounding humongous and, thought, we can be bigger!

The key to everything on the night was credibility. It oozed from them. Independent through and through, they have risen to the cusp of big venues. The drama served up in their kitsch sink lyrics is exhilarating, people like them, like us, should always have their lives lit up in rock ‘n’ roll. The Reytons are most definitely their own beast, a headline animal to be seriously reckoned with.

Rooskin ft Katy for Kings – Just a Town You’re Passing Through

Southend’s Rooskin have teamed up with fellow songsmith Katy for Kings on their latest single ‘Just a Town You’re Passing Through’. Released late 2021, can they keep up their rich vein form?

This time out, they allow a melancholy to pervade their hazy technicolour. Furthermore, the duet with Katy for Kings shows a creative instinct way beyond their years. Usually, it’s senior artists who dabble in a concept album. Rooskin, have boiled it down to a concept single where a couple enacts their tumultuous position.

The lyrical back and forth is less playful than Mystery Jets & Laura Marling’s ‘Young Love’ and more forlorn, albeit just as melodic. They impart honesty from both sides, demonstrating a creative acumen beyond their years. The Rooksin perspective, hopeful but beaten (“come on oversee things my way / but you never do / and you never will”) is downtrodden but shrouded in great melody. It is though, the spiky nature of Katy’s character where the true magic lies:

“my conversations come with a catch / I say things just to take them back”

The ethereal refrain is rapidly becoming an archetypal sonic. By adding the pop instincts of Mystery jets and the harmonies of the west coast on this offering, they have continued their fine run of singles by growing as a creative collective.

In Earnest: Chinnerys, Southend

Southend’s In Earnest played their first headline gig at their iconic hometown (city) venue of Chinnerys last week.

Images courtesy of Rob Humm & the band.

October the 9th marked their release of their stunning EP ‘Reasons to Stay Alive’. A seamless piece of music that delves into the struggles of mental health in relationships. Not content with the challenge of recording the EP, of challenging discourse, in this fashion, their creative chops were again at full capacity. Playing the EP fully with seamless transitions was a joy to watch. Whilst physically, it may have looked frantic at points but, the guitar and pedal switches were delivered with aplomb. It added a bigger sense of drama to already tumultuous tracks like ‘I Feel Alone Even If I’m Not’ and ‘Hands Are Tied’.

They come as a collective but, it’s Sarah Holbourn’s voice are that people leave talking about. The harrowing lyrics are met with heaven-sent vocals to forge the most intimate of bonds with the Southend crowd. On ‘Put Me Under’, she drifts from Laura Marling to Phoebe Bridgers whilst songwriting partner Thomas Eatherton’s guitars shimmer with Bon Iver’s majesty.

Eatherton’s guitars, eloquent throughout, stack up to Holbourn’s beauty on several occasions. Whether it be the Ryan Adams-tinged ‘29’, the Cocteau Twins dreaminess of ‘Fables’, or the dreampop meets Billy Bragg, he has an ability to know when to let things breathe around him.

With another show at The Amersham Arms tomorrow and a film launch with Rooskin’s Rob Humm to supplement the EP in November, this is a band with serious creative chops that should not be missed.

Rooskin: Chinnerys, Southend

Southend’s Rooskin played their hometown venue Chinnery’s this past Friday in support of fellow local band The Waterfalls. Having been away for 19months, and with a big crowd in, could they deliver?

At times, Rooskin transcended music. Maybe it’s the long wait for gigs but, their brand of hazy love songs and sunny climates was the warming embrace Southend needed. ‘Donnie’ drifted across the coastline to thaw even the coldest souls with its infectious joy. Like all special songs, it began to take on new meaning via its lyrics:

“I’ve been looking for love / in all the wrong places / it’s been tearing me up and I’m sick of waiting”

The poor life choices and dangerous crutches society have leaned on to get through the lockdown flood to the surface. However, the effortless guitars and glory of the vocals ushered the room back to positive planes.

Upcoming single ‘Eloise’ (released 20th August), got its first airing and, did not disappoint. A sense of hope permeated the room. As they sing of the West Coast, a spirit powerfully forms and feelings that all is not lost and never give up filled hearts once again.

Rooskin’s laid-back nebulous is given an injection on set closer ‘Goldfish’. The added bombast brought about a clarity and future for all to follow them off stage with. Dreams and schemes among the young crowd were almost tangible as their licks and harmonies soared upon the horizon.

Music lovers will always discuss why certain bands don’t make it. Unlucky, the look, charisma, etc. In Rooskin’s case, there’s nothing to talk about. They look like a gang, bonded together by in-jokes, love, and desire. There’s a wit to their between-song patter that forges more love with the crowd. They have all the indefinable qualities to go with sublime alt-pop melodies. You simply cannot deny this band!

Asylums - Genetic Cabaret

Southend's Asylums have released their third album 'Genetic Cabaret' via their own label Cool Thing Records. After two stunning pop-punk albums, naturally, they stepped into the studio with Steve Albini. Has the man behind the glass for 'In Utero' , 'Rid of Me' and 'Surfa Rosa' produced another collaborative masterclass?

Songwriter Luke Branch, to date, has had moment of superb social commentary on 'Millennials', 'Joy In A Small Wage' and 'Homeowners Guilt'. Now, he has hit a level of consistency the political mess the world deserves. With Trump's sociopath traits becoming normalised and Boris running from scrutiny, Branch has found a consistent incandescence but always intellectual rage we can unite behind.

In the mire of Trump, Brexit, antisemitism, the rise of the far right in Europe, and ignorance of refugees, Branch received the joyous news he was to be father. This fueled the tension of his rage against the world he bring his child in to.

The thunderous rock effort 'The Distance Between Left & Right' builds this tension. Their archetypal sci-fi punk of 'Adrenaline Culture' creates a space for the politically homelessness to be exasperated. Meanwhile, 'Yuppie Germs' spits out a venomous deconstruction of the greedy Tory 80s tribute act nightmare we've endured for a decade.

Alarmed by the increasing generational divide and its fraught nature, the former single 'Catalogue Kids' (full review here) provides an anthem for the maligned youth of today. Empowering and righteous, it twists The Who classic 'Kids Are Alright' into a clarion call. Get angry. Get poetic. Form a band and strike out!

The raucous sonic subsides, mercifully, on 'The Miracle Age'. Gently shimmering in the shadow of Brexit, it looks for unity and integrity before erupting into Springsteen via pop-punk euphoria.

The album climaxes on 'Who Writes Tomorrows Headlines'. Woody Guthrie and Joe Strummer's eyes will glisten at this, what is, the finest punk sloganeering for a decade. Branch's lament of the press barons who pushed Brexit for their own ends, not the left behind is magnificent. Musically, it's their most complete work to date. The drums ferociously conjure images of outsiders standing their ground whilst, riff magician Jazz Miell strikes gold. His warped guitar parts and solos have found a new level of volatility and infectiousness simultaneously.

The new normal has become a phrase of late. If this album is theirs, the world has new heroes. Vitriolic, defiant, and unifying, Asylums are not their yet but, they've got a monumental stride towards a masterpiece.

Darrah: The Railway, Southend

To mark the release of their new single, Southend's Darrah played a packed show at The Railway.

This was alternative pop music at its finest. Shimmering synths, psyche guitars and killer choruses. 'Can't Tax The Sun' was The Pixies through the prism of bubblegum pop. It was so infectious, it was dangerous.

On 'Stars' and the solo performed 'Pothole', Darrah displays an ability to pitch the rhythm of a set way beyond his years. 'Stars', a hazy Real Estate meets Teenage Fanclub affair, drifts by effortlessly. Meanwhile, 'Pothole' stripped everything back to showcase his estuary vocal at its most intimate.

The set closes on the new single 'Business' and, on this showing, it will be for many years to come. As the guitars throb away, Darrah's instinct for a vocal hook shines bright. There are hints of Lydon, Bowie and Albarn throughout, and by the time the synths start to sparkle, it becomes something quite special indeed.

Get Cape Wear Cape Fly! Chinnerys, Southend

“What’s a battle cry / If it falls on death ears”

A telling lyric from Westcliff’s Get Cape Wear Cape Fly. Especially, 12 years into his career with new material aplenty. Launching your career with a cult classic (‘Chronicles of a Bohemian Teenager’) can often have a damming effect. Just ask The Enemy and Glasvegas. Despite this, head honcho Sam Duckworth returned this year with ‘Young Adult’ and, this past Saturday, he brought it to his hometown venue Chinnerys.

Now backed with an 8 piece band (all outrageously handsome btw!), Get Cape sounds better than ever. This is particularly true of new material such as ‘Adults’, ‘Animate’ and ‘VHS Forever’. The youthful exuberance that bred so much hope and escapism in 2006 is still there, but now, the musicianship is on another level. These feel like staple set numbers of a decade!

This is further striking on ‘DNA’ and fan favourite ‘Lighthouse Keeper’. The latter, a great song about life in Southend, always breeds huge devotion from the Essex crowd. However, ‘DNA’, surpasses it with its older, wiser and reflective stance. Get Cape’s vocal is oozes into shore like the waves just a few hundred yards away with an elegant ease to marvel at.

Quite simply, this is the best version of Get Cape that’s ever materialised, go and watch for yourselves!

The Spitfires - Chinnerys, Southend

All too often, The Spitfires are written off as just another Jam revivalist band. Anyone in Southend last Friday surely has to dispute this, loudly!

They are band steeped in the English greats such as The Jam, Specials, Billy Bragg, and Madness. Sometimes, The Jam comparisons shine a little too bright but, with this much melody and passion, they seem destined to outrun this tag. 

This is particularly pertinent on ‘4am’. This earnest tale of abusive landlords stops Chinnerys dead in its tracks. Social comment is always a plus point in the alternative music community but, this poetic, and with this much integrity, a rare thing indeed.

Former singles ‘So Long’ and ‘Move On’ go down well. The Clash via The Beat inspired ‘Move On’ has the Southend faithful skanking whilst ‘So Long’, reminds us all of when The Ordinary Boys first emerged and were not fame hungry whores.

Whilst we have all be lauding Liam Gallagher’s new found confessional song writing style (and rightly so), The Spitfires, Sullivan in particular, nail this one epic song. ‘Spoke To Soon’ recounts a tale of degradation and personal failure towards a loved one whilst all around it, is a swirling Who via Arcade Fire epic.

With new material on the horizon, watch out as this has to be their breakthrough year.