Clicking into their set with a nervous energy, Manchester duo Holy Pinto! relish in charm and whimsy. They soundly tap into indie punk leanings and lyrically analyse in self-pity and anguish. Duos are a difficult formula to accomplish, but Holy Pinto! do very well here to a warm reception. Guitar and drums with yearning sombre vocals; a tight unit. There are kinks to be ironed out, yet for now they are sweetly poignant in their delivery here. (3.5/5)
Having never listened to them before, it comes to my attention that Dinner Time’s set will be 8 minutes long. This could only mean two things: fast and loud. Featuring 3/5 of local indie emo band Well Wisher, Dinner Time cause a noisy ruckus. Whilst the lack of bass may hinder them, the stripped back garage punk guitar beefs up the noise. It sits alongside hectic drums and pedantic yells rather comfortably. Warning: a grin may pop up from ear to ear on your face when you see this lot, as they’re a lot of fun! (4/5)
Hailing from Sunderland, melodic punk quartet Bear Trade don’t shy away from blasting out the gruff anthemic numbers. Although the songs are thoroughly enjoyable, there’s a repetitive sense of familiarity in their sound. Not only that, the band (due to no fault of their own) have dodgy microphones, so the impact is slightly disheartened. The potential is there, up in the sky, but it wavers and makes for a rough landing. (3/5)
Newcastle emo punks Wade fare better meanwhile, catching you off guard with a slap to the face. Miserably drenched in lyrical woe and boldly balancing a see-saw of acutely strung delivery, this band sound perfect. Trust me, if there is one band to keep your eye on in the live circuit, then Wade are highly recommended! (4/5)
Bristol punk trio Caves turbo charge their way through a hooky, zazz-filled set. Recent album ‘Betterment’ really captured their live sound, and what better way than to witness it here. The bag full of “woahs”, infectious choruses and marvellous melodic frenzy is too hard to ignore. Caves are straight to the point and back to basics, proving the simple way can be the most fun! (4/5)
4/5
Words by Aaron Lohan (@ooran_loohan)
