Lonely The Brave

Big Cheese Magazine have pulled together one of the most exciting tours of the year, as most would agree that this could be one of the last times we’re given the chance to see Marmozets and Lonely The Brave in intimate settings. Both bands have earned their place on the ones to watch lists following stunning releases this year, so this tour could be the one that takes them onto the bigger stages for the long haul.

Opening proceedings is the exciting prospect of Allusondrugs, a band whose eclectic mannerisms on stage match their emphatic delivery. As the band members flail frantically like salmon up a river, their pulsating sound is greeted by a healthy section of the soon to be sold out crowd, who witness their melodic and powerful performance, but show little enthusiasm for it. Although the vocals struggle to cut through the mix, the pure conviction and passion for their art certainly does, as some simple refinements to their sound could result in the realisation of a band who truly mean business. It’s an impressive display, but there’s certainly some defining qualities that need massaging.

Marmozets are up next, and it goes without saying that this band have created something truly special in recent years. Emerging to enormous screams with the angst driven “Born Young and Free”, the band take the night to another level with a set comprising of the best cuts from their debut album, meaning that its a performance nothing short of utterly captivating. Evidently this band were made to dominate packed out crowds, as front-woman Becca MacIntyre demands the crowd’s attention with her soaring vocals, piercing screams and charismatic presence. The likes of “Why Do You Hate Me?” and “Move, Shake, Hide” turn the venue into a frenzy, as their vigorous display never appears to hold fire, with “Captivate You” in particular demonstrating the heightened maturity of their song-writing. There’s no doubt that this band will soon be terrorising the bigger stages, as their performance boasts stunning quality down to every detail. Closing with “Vibetech”, the band revisit a heavier proportion of their eclectic math-rock elements and induce a crushing close to a truly staggering performance.

Closing proceedings on the rotational headliner slot is Lonely The Brave, who may have felt that following a performance of such vibrant energy and aggression wouldn’t favour them, but they almost immediately proved this concern to be obsolete through their breath taking quality. Following lengthy hype before the release of their debut album, my expectations were fairly high, but when a band possesses such unmistakable finesse in their live performance, it’s impossible to feel underwhelmed. Their atmospheric, larger than life delivery in their instrumentals coincides beautifully with their singers stunning, pitch perfect vocals. If you close your eyes, you wouldn’t know the difference between listening to their record, as enormous anthems “Black Saucers” and “Backroads” in particular could soundtrack the feeling of reaching the peak of Everest. The crowd loves them, their talent is undeniable; it’s just a shame that they followed arguably the brightest sparks in Britain. Regardless, Lonely The Brave were totally compelling and a true pleasure to behold.

Lonely The Brave set list
Call of Horses
Victory Line
Trick of the Light
Deserter
Black Saucers
Kings Of The Mountain
River River
The Blue, the Green
Backroads

Marmozets set list
Born Young and Free
Particle
Is It Horrible
Captivate You
Weird and Wonderful
Why Do You Hate Me?
Hit the Wave
Move, Shake, Hide
Vibetech

Links
https://www.facebook.com/LonelyTheBrave
https://www.facebook.com/marmozets
https://www.facebook.com/Allusondrugs

Words by George “loving his cheese” Fullerton