Bristol Marble Factory, 16 March 2025
Photos by Kate Feast. No use without permission.
State Champs live review: proving their pop-punk reign is stronger than ever
O2 Institute Birmingham, 26th Februrary 2025
If there’s one thing State Champs can do, it’s deliver an exemplary pop-punk show. So when the lights in Birmingham’s O2 Institute dim and a thumping, building instrumental track blasts from the speakers, the cheer that erupts from the crowd is nothing short of deafening. The members walk out one by one, waving to fans below as they take their places on stage. With a 23-song setlist to get through, there isn’t a moment to spare. The band dive straight into ‘Silver Cloud’ from their latest album, the eponymous State Champs. Already primed to mosh, dance, and jump, the crowd explodes into motion the moment the first note of ‘Silver Cloud’ rings out. It doesn’t matter that ‘Silver Cloud’ only came out a few months ago. With the reception it receives, you would be forgiven for thinking it was a long-term fan favourite.
But it’s not just the fans having the best Wednesday night of their lives – the band are, too
From then on, there’s no stopping either the band or the fans. ‘Losing Myself’ receives an equally effusive reception, and the nostalgic ‘Mine Is Gold’ beckons booming singalongs of “Your heart is black and mine is gold!” during its deliciously angsty choruses. The fast tempo of ‘Outta My Head’ from 2023’s Kings of the New Age fuels the bouncing crowd, and this is where the mosh pits truly take shape.
“We’re about to make this the best Wednesday night of your lives,” declares vocalist Derek DiScanio before launching into a medley of ‘Perfect Score’, ‘Frozen’, and ‘Fake It’. Judging by people’s ecstatic expressions, he might be right. But it’s not just the fans having the best Wednesday night of their lives – the band are, too. DiScanio, with his usual vigour, is jumping up and down from the small platform at the front of the stage, while next to him, guitarist Tyler Szalkowski and bassist Ryan Scott Graham are jumping around in circles, as if on overdrive. Behind them, Evan Ambrosio’s robust drumming ties the songs together.
The band dedicate ‘Elevated’, to the fans that had been there since day one
‘The Constant’ and its earworm of a chorus are another highlight of the show, as is the playful ‘Tight Grip’. When a band release a new album, it’s difficult to know how the songs will go down live. Tonight proves that State Champs need not worry, with fans eager to prove they love the new songs just as much as the old ones.
The band dedicate ‘Elevated’, to the fans that had been there since day one. And with every single person in the room singing along to its chorus, the moment becomes a joyous collective celebration of how far State Champs have come since.
And if fans thought the show’s first part was intense, nothing could have prepared them for the encore. During ‘Everybody but You’, a rogue shoe flies onto the stage before DiScanio hurls it back into the melee below. The mass is so engrossed that it doesn’t even matter that Neck Deep’s Ben Barlow isn’t there to perform his feature on the song. Finally, ‘Secrets’ closes off the set, and the crowd’s realisation that this is the last track wakes up anyone who might have been in a stupor, with its singsongy verses and vindictive chorus encouraging a 1500-person singalong, fans almost drowning out the band in their wake.
And with one final “But it’s too late for me, now I’m as good as gone” rounding off ‘Secrets’, the show comes to a bittersweet end. With a wave, the band walk off on stage to the sound of Chappell Roan’s ‘HOT TO GO’. But instead of feeling upset about the show’s end, grinning faces make their way out into the chilly night. What’s more, State Champs are no strangers to the UK. Whether it be on their own headline tours, playing Slam Dunk, or opening for other acts, rest assured, the New York pop-punkers will be back tearing up UK stages before long.
Words and image: Sophie Flint Vázquez
“None of this will matter when I’m 38”: The Manatees on Submarine, playing live, and ‘Without You’
In the last few years, Southampton-based band The Manatees have steadily built a reputation in the indie rock scene, selling out shows at London’s The Camden Assembly, embarking on a headline tour, and even performing on Made in Chelsea. Now, the five-piece – consisting of Jay, Tyler, Miller, Issy, and Joe – are back with a new single, ‘Without You’, a bold, urgent, and unapologetically yearning rock track filled with punchy drums, groovy vocals, and a soaring, arena-worthy chorus, all inspired by the 2010 coming-of-age drama Submarine.
“I only watched [Submarine] about a year-and-a-half ago,” lead singer Jay Harris says. “I was just absolutely fascinated with it.” The film, famously soundtracked by Arctic Monkeys’ Alex Turner, follows the trials and tribulations of the main character and his infatuation with his classmate. However, it was a particular line in the film that inspired Jay to write the track: “None of this will matter when I’m 38.”
“It just resonates so much ‘cause I’m such an over-worrier about things, and I kind of over-analyse everything. That was almost a motto to live by. If it’s not gonna matter next year, even tomorrow or next week, then it’s probably not something to be getting myself stressed about today,” Jay explains.
This motto inspired the rest of the song, and “none of this will matter when I’m 38” soon solidified itself as a lyric. “It was kind of a happy accident,” he chuckles, before apologising for the pun. “But it was definitely that singular line that just really struck a chord in me.”
One of my life ambitions is to release an album
Tyler, the manatees
And while The Manatees are yet to have one of their own songs soundtrack a film, this doesn’t mean they haven’t spent time putting their tracks over bits of films for fun. “I think [‘Without You’] could be used in a moment where someone has to let go of something in a kind of ‘I can’t live without you’ scenario,” guitarist Tyler says. And with the song’s verses composed of a lovestruck, borderline obsessive narrator’s musings, the song would undoubtedly fit a fair few films. “I’m in love with the idea of it, chew me up and spit me out / I would run, I would fight, I would bleed,” Jay sings, his voice raspy over rising guitars.
But ‘Without You’ is just the latest milestone in their growing list of achievements. Over the summer, they played Truck festival in a packed-out tent. “For those festivals, it’s always hard. You know there’s people there, but whether or not they’ll show up to your gig is another question,” Tyler says, reminiscing on the show.
Equally, a big moment for the band was when their music was played on BBC Radio 1 and BBC 6 Music. “The first time it happened… I don’t think I’ll ever be able to replicate that feeling and that buzz,” Jay notes. “I was on the train at the time, and I’ll never forget where I was or how it felt knowing that we were going to get a spin on Radio 1.”
“If you had told me five years ago a bunch of the stuff we’ve managed to achieve so far, I would’ve probably, like, broken,” Tyler adds, also reflecting in awe.
However, the band’s future goals lie beyond this. “One of my life ambitions is to release an album,” Tyler says. “I know that sounds like kind of a low bar for a band, but I do think nowadays, there’s a lot of work that needs to be put in it.”
“You don’t know everything when you first start out, and we most certainly still don’t know everything now”
Jay, the manatees
While ‘Without You’ fits nicely into their current indie-rock sound, there are still directions the band are keen to explore. “I think we always wanted to go slightly heavier, and we have done that since our first EP,” Jay says. And while ‘Without You’ is hardly heavy metal, it certainly has a grungy grit when compared to their earlier work. Take ‘Milan’, their earliest song on Spotify, for example, which is a fun, singsongy acoustic ballad. It’s a great song, but noticeably lacks the edge of their current output.
Building on how they’ve evolved as a band, Jay adds, “I think one of the things we’ve discovered over the last couple of years is that we are a live band, and that’s when our audience can really get on board with us.” This can then translate to their studio recordings, with the band striving to make them less polished, hectic, and raw. “As if you were watching it live,” Jay explains.
Arguably, however, the band’s journey has made them who they are today. Looking back at their early days, Jay says, “I think there’d be a fair few things we could probably let our past selves know to fast-track the process,” he says, laughing. “But that’s part of the beauty of it. You don’t know everything when you first start out, and we most certainly still don’t know everything now.”
Even as they refine their sound, navigating the music industry comes with its own set of challenges. Indeed, being an artist nowadays isn’t easy. From the constant closures of small venues to the lack of funding available to many more nationwide issues, there seems to be no shortage of complications. But the two big struggles that stand out? “Money and time,” Tyler chuckles. “I think they’re the two things that everybody struggles with, no matter who you are or no matter what industry you’re in,” he continues. “I just don’t think artists are funded as much as they were like in the past, and I think that makes it really difficult to record tracks and to get in the studio, to get tracks mixed and mastered, and to do photo shoots and video shoots. It all costs money.”
On the flip side, being an artist today also has its advantages. With help from technology and the Internet, it has become much easier for anyone to make music and post it online. “I could literally record a song in my bedroom in the next five minutes and put it up on Spotify tomorrow if I really wanted to,” Jay says before reflecting. “At the same time, it means all the streaming sites are more saturated than ever, so I guess cutting through has become more difficult.”
I think there’s always a way to do things cheaply and try not to compromise your art as much as possible
Jay
But cutting through the noise isn’t the only challenge. With everyone from photographers to mix engineers to mastering engineers needing a cut of the profits, there’s “no guaranteed time to money equation,” Tyler explains. “It’s very much, ‘Well, you’re the band, you just get what’s left,’ which usually is negative.”
But The Manatees have been doing what they do for five years and making it work. “You can pull in favours; you can do things in your bedroom,” Jay elaborates. “I think there’s always a way to do things cheaply and try not to compromise your art as much as possible. It would just be nice to have unlimited budgets.”
And if they’ve been doing what they’ve been doing thus far with great success, nothing is stopping them from getting even bigger in the future. The band have an upcoming UK tour this autumn, and if their enthusiasm is anything to go by, there will be plenty of new music in the future. Some, like ‘Without You’, might be inspired by films or, as Jay teases, by Greek mythology, pop culture, and beyond. One thing is for sure, though: ‘Without You’ is just the beginning. The Manatees aren’t going anywhere – and if their trajectory continues, they won’t have to wonder if it still matters when they’re 38.
Words: Sophie Flint Vázquez
See The Manatees live:
1st October – Leeds, The Lending Room
2nd October – Glasgow, King Tut’s
3rd October – Newcastle, The Cluny 2
4th October – Manchester, YES (pink room)
8th October – Nottingham, Bodega
9th October – Cardiff, Clwb Ifor Bach
10th October – Bristol, Exchange
11th October – London, Omeara
20th December – Southampton, 1865
Daily J Scatterbrains review: a shimmering slice of summer
Modern life moves at a relentless pace – from the constant barrage of news headlines to the demands of daily routine, all too often, it can be overwhelming. While there’s no easy fix, Daily J’s second album, Scatterbrains, offers a temporary antidote. Drenched in the sounds of summer and nostalgia, Scatterbrains is a much-needed escape to a better time.
At its core, Scatterbrains is steeped in nostalgia. Take opener ‘Sunday Stitches’, for example. With its whistling intro, vocalist Jayden’s laid-back vocals, and a thumping bassline, it feels straight out of early 2010s radio pop, in the best possible way. The track is comfortingly familiar, but its melody and energy keep it from feeling stale. Elsewhere, ‘Go With the Flow’ leans into the same nostalgia, drawing from the likes of Cage the Elephant or Circa Waves. With a blissful chorus of “Walking on the bright side of life” and shimmering synths, it’s the sonic embodiment of a carefree summer afternoon.
This euphoria is constant throughout the album
If ‘Go With The Flow’ is reminiscent of a scorching summer day, then ‘Cheap Tequila Sunrise’ is the captures the thrill of a hazy summer night. Electrifying guitars and pulsating bass give the track a slight edge, all while Jayden’s soaring vocals ride atop a bouyant, sun-soaked arrangment. It’s a track made for festival stages, radiating pure, unadulterated bliss.
At just nine tracks, Scatterbrains never overstays its welcome, but in that short span, it whisks you away
This euphoria is constant throughout the album, whether it be in the swelling pre-choruses in ‘Daydreamer’, which erupt in a Springsteen-sized chorus or, indeed, ‘Roadie’ the album’s closer. ‘Roadie’ opens with deceptively calm acoustic guitar chords before launching into a powerhouse of an electric guitar solo that demands to be played live.
Despite its overall breezy, feel-good atmosphere, Scatterbrains remains surprisingly dynamic. The towering choruses of ‘Daydreamer’ ‘Cheap Tequila Sunrise’ contrast beautifully with the Beatles-esque dreaminess of ‘Tastes Like Forever’ or the groove of ‘For Your Leisure’.
Equally, there are also moments for introspection. The jazzy tones and saxophone solo of ‘Someone To Cry About’ make it perhaps the most mature track on the album as they wonder, “Hope there’s someone to cry about”.
At just nine tracks, Scatterbrains never overstays its welcome, but in that short span, it whisks you away, if only for a moment, to a time where life felt lighter, freer, and just a tad bit easier.
Recommended listening: ‘Cheap Tequila Sunrise’
Scatterbrains is out February 21st.
Words: Sophie Flint Vázquez
Inhaler light up Brixton with roaring rock anthems and pop grooves
O2 Academy Brixton, 13th Februrary 2025
When the lights dim in Brixton’s O2 Academy, the sheer volume of the roar that ensues from the crowd is indicative of one thing and one thing only – Irish pop-rock band Inhaler are about to take the stage, and their fans are going to give them the effusive welcome they deserve. Hot on the heels of their third album, Open Wide, tonight is the first of two shows in the emblematic London venue.
Clad in leather and black denim, the band walk on stage, wasting no time before launching into ‘My Honest Face’. And while opening with one of your biggest (and best) songs is a gamble, it pays off, as it throws the crowd straight in the deep end, giving the crowd no time to warm up and launching them straight into a roaring night of fun.
When played live, these tracks regain much of the grit that characterised their first two albums
‘Eddie in the Darkness’ soon follows, and judging by the way fans react to the opening chords, it is difficult to believe that the track was released only a week before the show. Similarly, ‘A Question of You’, one of the singles off of Open Wide, receives an effusive welcome as the crowd dances and sings along to its earworm of a chorus.
Although Open Wide was characterised by its poppier production and abundance of synths, when played live, these tracks regain much of the grit that characterised their first two albums. Combined with the band’s rock-and-roll look and the power emanating from the electric guitars on stage, it’s hard to believe that Open Wide was the band’s first venture into pop.
But while ‘Eddie in the Darkness’ and ‘A Question of You’ both receive enthusiastic cheers, in contrast, the crowd’s reaction to ‘Little Things’ and ‘X-Ray’ is muted. However, ‘My King Will Be Kind’, and its mandatory singalongs of “I fucking hate that bitch” during its chorus bring the energy in the room back to a fever pitch.
The stage setup is plain throughout the show, with only a white sheet with a flower from the Open Wide album cover projected onto it. For a venue as grand as the Brixton O2 Academy, the sparse stage setup feels like a missed opportunity.
‘Cheer Up Baby’ gives the crowd a chance to release any last bits of pent-up energy
During ‘Dublin in Ecstasy’, they project an Irish flag onto the sheet behind them, raising a furore from the devoted crowd. By the time they start ‘Love Will Get You There’, fans below are a unified mass with arms flying and swaying from side to side during its toe-tapping choruses. ‘Still Young’, with its Springsteen-esque ambition, works beautifully live and raises the question of why the band doesn’t write bigger, more anthemic songs more often. ‘Still Young’ then flows beautifully into the groovy danceability of ‘Billy (Yeah Yeah Yeah)’, which has everyone (including the band) swaying back and forth.
‘Cheer Up Baby’ gives the crowd a chance to release any last bits of pent-up energy, to the point that when the band leave the stage, rather than needing to drum up excitement for the band to come back out, the crowd stay silent, needing to take a moment to compose themselves.
Beginning the encore with ‘Open Wide’, a track with hints of garage music, is a stroke of genius as the venue temporarily transforms into a pulsating, vibrant nightclub, making it a perfect start to the end of the night. From then on, ‘It Won’t Always Be Like This’ and ‘Your House’ end the show. The band thank the crowd, walk off stage, and breathless concert-goers climb the O2 Academy’s sloping floor, spilling out of its doors onto the bustling streets of Brixton and breathing in the cold February air.
It’s a night of joyous celebration. Inhaler isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel with what they do or pretend to be something they’re not. Instead, they’re doing what any good band should do: they have an arsenal of great, catchy songs and a desire to play them live. And if they can do one thing, it is to provide the soundtrack and atmosphere for a brilliant night out.
Words and image: Sophie Flint Vázquez
Open Wide review: Inhaler’s muddled foray into pop
Inhaler have a very characteristic sound, and it only takes listening to a few songs from their first two albums, It Won’t Always Be Like This (2021) and Cuts and Bruises (2023), to notice this. Two albums and several big tours and support slots later (Harry Styles, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Arctic Monkeys, etc.) bring us to album three, Open Wide. And while Open Wide still sounds very much like Inhaler, it is the band’s attempt at moving into a field of their own, setting them apart from other bands with a similar sound – think The Wombats, The Vaccines, Circa Waves, and so on. But despite their commendable flirtation with experimentation and move into pop (‘The Charms’, ‘Little Things’, ‘Eddie in the Darkness’) or dabble into garage on the title track, the album ultimately feels like a rehashing of the same handful of songs dressed in slightly poppier production, which, while good, do little in terms of musical progression and evolution.
And while most of the songs on ‘Open Wide’ aren’t bad, per se, they don’t commit wholeheartedly to any one direction
Elijah Hewson’s smooth, adaptable vocals are a natural fit for this brighter, pop-tinged approach. But despite producer Kid Harpoon’s impressive résumé (Harry Styles, Florence + The Machine, Maggie Rogers), his influence on Open Wide leaves many tracks falling flat. Take ‘All I Got is You’: polished to perfection, the track features guitars that mimic 80s disco synths and vocals that could easily find a home on Harry Styles’ Harry’s House. Yet despite its sheen, the song struggles to maintain momentum, with its verses merely stringing together its choruses – the only moments where the song truly comes alive. ‘The Charms’ and ‘Even Though’ suffer from similar shortcomings – a lack of sufficient variation and dynamism that prevents the songs from fully engaging the listener. And while most of the songs on ‘Open Wide’ aren’t bad, per se, they don’t commit wholeheartedly to any one direction, resulting in an album that lacks any distinctive identity.
On Open Wide, for every step in the right direction, there seems to be an equal opposite step in the wrong direction
That said, the album’s strongest moments emerge when the band commits fully to a given sound. Take ‘Again’, for example, a distressed indie-rock number where Hewson’s lower register blends with a groovy baseline and gritty guitars. Although it echoes their earlier work, there’s a distinct self-assuredness to it that is absent in the rest of Open Wide. Similarly, ‘X-Ray’ combines rock-leaning verses, a retro riff courtesy of guitarist Josh Jenkinson, and choruses that are beautifully, unapologetically pop.
‘A Question of You’ joins Inhaler’s discography as one of their best songs. From the infectious opening riff to the inclusion of a choir to the ingenious line “pour your heart out into my cup”, ‘A Question of You’ is Inhaler at their undeniable best. Meanwhile, ‘Still Young’ is a venture into grandiose arena pop that evokes The Killers, Sam Fender, and Bruce Springsteen with its soaring choruses and unwavering dynamism – a hint for what could be an exciting new direction for the band, should they decide to fully commit to it.
On Open Wide, for every step in the right direction, there seems to be an equal opposite step in the wrong direction and for every bold, confident track, there’s another that retreats into a half-hearted attempt at pop but never fully commits to the sound. While this makes Open Wide arguably Inhaler’s weakest album so far, the glimpses of brilliance scattered throughout suggest that, with refined production and a more decisive creative direction, they could be on the cusp of finding the sound that defines who they are.
Recommended listening: ‘A Question of You’
Words: Sophie Flint Vázquez
Image: Press
Neck Deep live review: pop-punk madness
O2 Academy Bristol, 31st January 2025
Back in Bristol for the first time in a few years, Welsh pop-punkers Neck Deep bring their Dumbstruck Dumbf!@k tour to Bristol’s headline venue, the O2 Academy. With old friends The Wonder Years and new friends One Step Closer, both from across the pond, this was set to be a lively night.
One Step Closer, from Pennsylvania, open the night, playing a mix of their older and new songs to the early but captive audience. Personally, I had not heard of them before, but I did enjoy their set, and a few of the crowd had come prepared. Towards the second half of the set, the mosh pits start to open up, and by the end, there are even a couple of crowd surfers. This really shows how a Bristol crowd is willing to give it their everything.
Up next are The Wonder Years. Also from Pennsylvania. These guys took Neck Deep on their first tour of the USA, so it was fitting for them to come along over here.
Now, I am a big fan of TWY, and it is going to be difficult to make this not a very subjective review, but they absolutely smash their set. 45 minutes is never going to be enough time to truly get a full TWY performance, but they certainly try, cramming 11 songs in. This inlcudes ‘Washington Square Park’, which, until this tour, hadn’t been played very often.
I could really go and on and on and write a full page about TWY alone, but as the opening acts, both really do warm the crowd up for a good night.
Neck Deep were one of the first bands I saw live properly after COVID (remember that?), and they will always hold a special place in my heart. I was lucky enough to see them again in 2022 and now again in 2025, and they never fail to put on a good show.
Compared to 2022, the stage is a lot tamer this time round, with just their name behind them in the clouds and the band taking up most of it. No living rooms, TVs, or sofas. But that doesn’t distract from the energy and power that Ben and the band bring with them, keeping it up for the entire show.
Opening up with the tour title track, already the mosh pits are opening up and crowd surfers start coming from all angles. As always, a big thank you to the staff and security for looking after everyone.
Neck Deep are not much for talking, but Ben does take a moment to go political, calling for a ceasefire in Gaza to many cheers from an often liberal Bristol crowd. To anyone who says that music and politics shouldn’t combine, I say ‘STFU’!
The band play a lot of the newer half of their discography, with their 2024 self-titled album taking centre stage. Still, a few of the older fan favourites are mixed in there, too, including ‘Smooth Seas Don’t Make Good Sailors’ and ‘Can’t Kick Up The Roots’. The main part of the set is brought to a close with ‘She’s A God’ followed by the emo Christmas anthem ‘December’.
A brief moment off stage and a chant from the crowd bring the boys from Wales back on stage for three more songs before the end of the night. ‘We Need More Bricks’, ‘STFU’ and finally, ‘In Bloom’ bring the night truly to a close, with one last set of mosh pits and crowd surfers making their way over the barrier into the waiting arms of security.
And that was it. Another February night filled with pop-punk madness and lots of sweaty people who enjoyed a really good show. I truly despise the O2 Academy Bristol’s layout, meaning that seeing the whole stage is nearly impossible unless you are front and centre, but Neck Deep, The Wonder Years and One Step Closer make it an enjoyable show nonetheless. Now, if they could stop charging £7 a pint, it would be even better…
Words: Ted Stargatt
Photos: Photos by Wil Denneman. No use without permission.
The Kawala Collection review: A triumphant curtain call for the indie pop group
Late in 2024, tropical indie outfit Kawala announced that their February 2025 tour would actually be their farewell tour. But before the tour kicks off, the band dropped The Kawala Collection, a final body of work bringing together all the music they’d released over 2024, plus a few new tracks. The album is a triumphant curtain call, encapsulating their signature blissful sound and offering a satisfying conclusion to their journey, both for their fans and for themselves. It is always difficult to see bands separate, but Kawala have shown how to go out on an exultant high.
It feels like a celebration of what made fans find comfort in Kawala’s style in the first place
The Kawala Collection feels stylistically aligned with the band’s earlier work, and the sound is mellow and minimalist in tone. Yet, this doesn’t mean the sound is bland, and Kawala effectively construct rich, layered, effortlessly calm tracks. Creating such soothing music in an engagement-filled society is hugely credible. This allows The Kawala Collection to act as a tonic for the constant distractions of everyday life. For some people, it will be too one-note or too safe. However, the purpose of the music doesn’t feel like it’s trying to do something new and innovative. Instead, it feels like a celebration of what made fans find comfort in Kawala’s style in the first place.
At the core of Kawala’s music is unique vocals underpinned with tight harmonies. Co-lead singer, Jim Higson, is accompanied by guitarist and co-lead vocalist Daniel McCarthy. The pair’s voices seamlessly blend together to create this vastness that just isn’t as effective with a singular vocal track. Through this, The Kawala Collection captures that signature ethereal quality, there is a genuine openness that comes from the unique vocal set-up.
The brilliance of Kawala’s sound is that the lyrics smoothly integrate themselves into the melody of each track
Each track on the Kawala Collection oozes individuality, and they distinguish themselves immediately, from the punchy drum beat of ‘Make A Difference’ to the simplistically bouncy ‘Good Morning’. This means that the collection will be hit-and-miss for most, and there will naturally be one or two tracks that aren’t as rousing for each listener. However, that doesn’t detract from the collection’s ability to thoroughly explore Kawala’s career.
Lyrically, the collection is hopeful and uplifting. It doesn’t dwell on negativity and doesn’t offer introspective social commentary—it simply doesn’t need to. The brilliance of Kawala’s sound is that the lyrics smoothly integrate themselves into the melody of each track. Yes, you can pick up little pockets of meaning but there is a real joy to the way the construction of the music feels much more abstract and loose.
The stand-out tracks actually bookend the collection, with the opening track ‘Time Slipping Away’ and the closing track ‘American Adrenaline’. Both feel like the most complete pieces, with infectious melodies that capture the wistful nostalgia of Kawala’s sound—utilizing moments of isolated vocals to build to choruses bursting with vibrancy and colour.
However, the retrospectively humble ‘Old Me’ is the most impactful track on the collection. Knowing this is the band’s final release, the contemplative lyrics are a gut punch, simultaneously recalling a sense of joy at the band’s companionship and facing the reality of finality. It feels like a precursor to that sense of yearning that comes with looking back on something, and gives the sense of fulfilment that although everything has an end, the focus should be on the joy that it brought. Sweetly melancholic, it is a softer note in a bright album.
The Kawala Collection is a hugely fitting send-off for a band that excels at creating a little slice of paradise. From catchy melodies partnered with playful instrumentation, Kawala are a pocket of vibrancy who have left an authentic body of work for fans to enjoy even after they take their final bow.
Recommended listening: ‘American Adrenaline’
Words by Gaby Shedwick. No use without permission.
Photography: Destroy Boys at The Fleece
Remi Wolf’s show at the O2 Academy Brixton proves she’s full of Big Ideas
O2 Academy Brixton, 5th December 2024
It’s not often that an upcoming artist makes a mark bold enough to rival that of mainstream legends, but Remi Wolf proves she’s one to watch and keep on all your feel-good playlists. Blending pop, funk, disco and rock, her release of Big Ideas transformed her from being a regional opener for Olivia Rodrigo’s GUTS Tour to performing her first headline tour worldwide.
She projects her passion across the venue from the very beginning of the concert
Infectiously energetic, vibrant, and hilarious, Wolf puts on a show that makes the whole crowd jump to their feet and completely disconnect from the outside world at O2 Academy Brixton. In fact, after her first few songs, she kicks off the show by screaming to the crowd, “I need you to be so fucking stupid tonight, guys,” before taking them through elaborate warm-up exercises. From twerking in the pit to belting nonsensical noises back at her, the first ten minutes of the show strip away any self-consciousness her fans might feel. Her demands are initially met with laughter and slight hesitation, but that soon evaporates as the audience falls in love with her outrageously spontaneous persona.
Sure enough, Wolf carries this energy throughout the entire show – bouncing from end to end, dancing, squatting and jumping, rarely still. However, this dynamic performance does not take away from Wolf’s impressively fierce vocals. She projects her passion across the venue from the very beginning of the concert. Her opening song, ‘Cookies & Cream’, allows her to immediately show off her powerful voice when she sings, “Is it wrong? Are you fearful? / Do you regret? Be careful.” The melody climbs even higher the second time the chorus hits, building up to a breathtaking belt of “If she’s perfect, what are you here for?”. The strength in her voice isn’t always evident in the studio versions of her songs, which makes The Big Ideas Tour an even more striking experience. Coupled with the venue’s stunning acoustics and charming interior, it makes for an entirely immersive and euphoric show.
Every concertgoer feels this when Wolf decides to perform ‘Soup’ standing still in the centre of the stage. This is the only quiet moment of the concert, the only time when there is little movement. With ‘Soup’ being one of her more sentimental hits, the tranquillity adds to the bittersweet lyricism such as “Stay, stick around / Please don’t get in your car” and “They told me to leave, but I don’t want to leave without you”. Her voice rises above the soft instrumental from the band before jumping back into a fun, percussive performance by the second chorus.
Wolf clearly cherishes her fans, too, stating that without them, performing is “boring as fuck”
The band themselves get their moments to shine, taking the stage to strum guitars an inch away from each other, playing to themselves as much as to the crowd and genuinely appearing to adore every second of it. The crowd already knows and loves the bassist Maddie Jay, who doubles as the incredible opening act for the show. Wolf even joins the band as she runs to the back of the stage for a riveting drum solo to ‘Kangaroo’. She dances with each of them, and the chemistry is undeniable – every performer adds to Wolf’s fun-loving, sunny energy.
The stage lights follow them through the songs, moving from soft blues and purples for ‘Kangaroo’ to deep reds for ‘Sexy Villain’ – perfectly supporting the musicians. The venue lights up with flashing colours as Wolf delivers her signature high kicks during ‘Pitiful’ while singing “Yuck!” with the audience. When she performs her highly anticipated ‘Toro’ dance with her band – after declaring “This song is about a big dick!” – the fans on the floor erupt into chaos, attempting to mimic and record her simultaneously. Without a doubt, sore feet in the morning are more than worth it for them. Wolf clearly cherishes her fans, too, stating that without them, performing is “boring as fuck”.
From unexpected emotional moments to raunchy, unserious humour, Wolf takes her audience through an all-encompassing journey. She precedes ‘Cinderella’ by explaining she’s moving on “to bigger and better things – like having sex in hotel lobbies!” – referencing the hook “Me and the boys in the hotel lobby”. Her concert is full of fun, impromptu moments – including her iconic improvised song she creates from words that the fans shout out to her. At Brixton, these are “Rosy”, “Woody”, and “Capricorn”, which she shapes into a light-hearted, somewhat absurd anthem featuring lyrics like “he’s a little rusty now / with a little woody caca! / a little woody caca!” A staple at every show of the tour, this segment adds an unplanned, unique touch to the setlist that lets the crowd participate too.
Wolf surpasses every expectation with The Big Ideas Tour
At the end of the show, the stage goes dark, and chants of “One more song!” rise from the stalls. Wolf doesn’t keep her fans waiting too long – the lights come on, and we see her band again through the smoke. Wolf emerges, springing onto the stage, going straight into ‘Photo ID’, a fan-favourite. As the last burst of energy of the night, the crowd is the loudest it can get – saying goodbye in their own way. Wolf leaves O2 Academy Brixton with far too much to admire – her captivating production, powerful yet quirky lyrics, unbelievably beautiful vocals and incomparable stage presence.
Wolf surpasses every expectation with The Big Ideas Tour and reminds her fans to breathe and have fun. From her music to her style, she values authenticity above all – and this ripples through her fans and inevitably connects each of them to her. She gains the “symbiotic relationship” she wants with her audience and maintains it until the very end – leaving everyone desperate for one more song.
Words and photos: Driti Shah, no use without permission.
TrueStyleMusic 