Liverpool’s own Circa Waves with support from the super Bloody Knees take Heaven by storm.
Running rather late, I rush into Heaven just in the nick of time. The first thing I hear, even before locking eyes with the stage are the immortal lines “Hi, we’re Bloody Knees for Cambridge” and then comes a barrage of brilliant 90’s style grunge.
Bloody Knees have started to become hyped as a bad to watch and they certainly live up to it, as a live show it’s a full on assault on the senses. Tracks like ‘Bones’ and ‘Bury Me’ are a frantic brilliant mess. The slower, sludgy tracks still pack a punch as frontman Bradley Griffiths sulks around stage complete with colossal hair flicks and losing complete control. “Big up the BK bad boys!” the true Bloody Knees fans stood at the barriers go nuts, pogoing launching themselves into one and another.
‘Daydream’ has an infectiously weird riff and a classic sound. “This is about a tour we did with our pals Wolf Alice, I lost a bet and ending up diving head first into a sign. This is ‘Stitches’ ” this story shows Bloody Knees as their true selves. It’s taken from the band latest EP, which is out now.
Public Access T.V. are the second support act, a more poppy, scuzzy version of young The Strokes. They are classic indie in a nutshell, the kind of band were they’re lead guitarist wears shades for the entire gig even though is depths of mid-winter outside. Tracks like ‘Monaco’ sum up the band, choppy guitars and lines like “I took her down to Monaco, where I learned that she had got to go”.
As the guitar tech sets up the sound he plays a tiny piece of a Circa Waves lick for sound check, everyone goes genuinely nuts, that’s how up for it they all are. A sense of something special starts to ebb into Heaven.
Circa Waves – Young Chasers on MUZU.TV.
The lights go down as Circa Waves walk on stage to deafening cheering and an old spaghetti western theme tune. Kicking off with a blistering ‘Young Chasers’ the entire crowd seems to lose their minds all at once, “London!” shouts Kieran Shudall. A none stop show, ‘Good For Me’ whips up a frenzy, the crowd know every single word. The shout of “good for me!” is joyous.
Heaven is a true mixture of ages, teenage fan-girls and indie boys are going nuts at the barriers whilst everyone else feeds off their endless energy. A quick shout of “You guys are so far away!” leads into ‘Fossil’ and ‘100 strangers’ sends the throng pogo crazy. A quick break and then the boys introduce a new song called ‘Catch My Breath’ with a chorus of “trying to catch my breath, trying to stay alive” over a classic Circa Waves scrappy guitars.
It’s clear to see that all four members of the band are loving every second of the gig, the manic energy is obviously infectious. All of a sudden Griffiths and the bassist of Bloody Knees rush to the very edge stage with wild looks in their eyes before full on stage diving into the crowd, everyone is in ore! “Bloody Knees everyone” announces Shudall.
The hammered intro of ‘So Long’ creates a brilliant excuse for a pit, the crowd happily oblige. This gig is utter chaos but it’s so so much fun. Even when they try to slow things down “for all you lovers out there” the energy does let up, any couple would have a hard time trying to get romantic within this riot of a show.
‘Stuck In My Teeth’ is tonight’s last song and Circa Waves chuck everything they have it, a pit opens again and everyone fun loving fan piles in, there is absolutely no malice involved though, the atmosphere is super friendly. The last shout of the night involves the whole of Heaven screaming “I’m a little too young, with not enough time”. Bloody Knees are back, stage diving again with added Shudall.
As the sweat dries, and everyone catches their breath Bob Marley is played over speakers, definitely one of the best gigs I’ve been to in a while.
Such an amazing show – I found out that he has an app as well which has the album in HD woop whoop!