Mixtape 2

By Fran Jarvis

The alternative evening to the volume next door begins with The Spencer McGarry Season, a three man band from Cardiff, who boast a delightfully upbeat, eclectic sound, with jangly guitars and effortless vocals. Both charming and infectious, they’ll make you tap your feet, smile and bob your head like a dickhead. Maybe it’s the braces.

Gethin Pearson & The Scenery blend together a beautiful mix of complimenting strings, lyrics and guitar and is, to be honest, fucking fantastic. Ignore the occasional blast of emo shit from next door, and these three put on one of the best performances of the night, especially during single Shatterproof.

Having heard endless good things about The Loves, they were, in truth ultimately disappointing. They have a slight retro-jazz pop swagger about them that makes me understand why so many find them instantly alluring. The Loves take on the psychedelic sixties thing well, but just not well enough.

My oh my. Little My are brilliantly clumsy on stage, and with 11 people crammed on what seems like the smallest stage known to live music existence, it’s easy to see why. Yet this is why they’re so unbelievably fascinating They trip over each other, they trip over their instruments and their lyrics, yet do it with such grace that you can forgive them.

Yet another act I’d heard so much of, and yet so little. The first five minutes of Halflight was undoubtedly brilliant; I hate to overuse the word beautiful so much in one review. The vocals are subtly sultry and dulcet, but after the first couple of songs, it all starts to sound way too familiar.

And finally, last band of the night, The Wave Pictures. These boys are brimming with unbridled enthusiasm. They bounce off each other with effortless ease and confidence and just let the music speak for itself. And the music is loud and clear.