The Night and Day Cafe in Manchester played host to four bands last night (6th November), courtesy of Scruff of the Neck Records. The event was co-headlined by Sixty Minute Man, and The Starkins — who have recently released their new single ‘Wasted.’
Common Tree Frogs were the first band to perform, but their songs notably lacked power, having parted ways with their drummer when he departed to study at university. They showed some potential with a selection of competent songs. However, the elements were against them as the small crowd sat and talked. In the end, all that Common Tree Frogs managed to achieve was the art of enjoyable background noise while the room began to fill up.
“At times, Daniels had an air of a modern day Ian Curtis about him; trapped in the music, his body jolted manically along with the sound.”
The second band to take the stage, The SSS, brought a little bit more energy to proceedings as they played through a repertoire of familiar songs. The venue started filling up more as The SSS progressed through their set. Managing to entice and engage a handful of people near the stage, their performance was certainly more interactive than their predecessors’ set. The band have a very clear influence from Arctic Monkeys in their sound, and use it well with a collection of catchy riffs and lyrics.
Next up was the turn of Rotherham four-piece The Starkins, who used this night as the launch party for their single. The Starkins attracted a large congregation by the stage waiting for them to begin; they had a large following compared to the previous bands and instantly brought energy to the night, their lead singer Andy Daniels jumping and leaping around the stage while delivering a great vocal performance to match his acrobatics.
At times, Daniels had an air of a modern day Ian Curtis about him; trapped in the music, his body jolted manically along with the sound. However, his movements became more fluid as the night progressed. The band’s engrossing and dynamic sound was most prominent in their performance of their latest single, ‘Wasted,’ and at its catchiest during ‘In The Garden.’ These tracks, as well as others, particularly caught the crowd’s attention.
The final performance of the night came from Sixty Minute Man. Looking more established and professional than the rest of the line-up, Sixty Minute Man provided a slick sound to match their slick appearance. Filling the stage with a strong, unrelenting presence, the band looked as if they would have a force to their songs that would demand a crowd reaction. Unfortunately, they lacked the energy that was so appealing from the previous band The Starkins.
Showcasing a selection of bands, the event was a success, yet only one band stood out from the crowd: Rotherham four-piece The Starkins. They had great energy to match their sound and their frontman tied the performance together with his jumping stage presence, finishing the set by hanging upside down from the roof.
Listen to The Starkins’ new single ‘Wasted’ here: