Posted on March 30, 2018
So these three are all Odd Box veterans. Lucille has people from Organisms (who I’ve seen) and I’ve been in the same room as Gladboy (they played an acoustic set in the NAC bar but I couldn’t hear them)
Three of us tonight. Sky, my usual music companion, and Em, another dear friend. We get in- after my legally mandated weekly visit to a ‘spoons - and I get a massive ego boost at being recognised from another gig. Replacing my personality with a haircut means I get noticed easier. Five pounds later and our hands are stamped with Alan Partridge’s face.
Fever Machine
So I didn’t see all of Fever Machine’s set but I liked what I heard. We missed the start and it’s pretty busy for a first act.
>This is such a bother. I get so agitated about being late. Then I force myself to be chill and enjoy my friends company. Then we are late. I’ll find balance at some point.
Not much about them online but I hear this is their second gig. They are fine. Good. Not much I feel qualified to say. Gladboy was a tough act to precede.
Lucille
From what I can tell from a band with no online presence, Lucille is the lady from Organisms who has built a band under her own name with a couple of guys from Organisms and some other people . I recognise the man on keyboard/backing vocals from somewhere. I wonder how small the music scene is…
According to the only person I know from the scene: Lucille has made a fair bit of hype for this project without revealing much. Maybe the lack of online information is part of that plan. Heck, I’m spreading rumour instead of facts. It’s working.
This was Lucille’s first gig and there were a few stumbles. Fudged lines and restarts.
This was one of those bands where I just stood there thinking: ‘yup, those are people good at the instruments and the sound making.’
Their sound was chill. Muddy ambiance and relaxing tempo. I wasn’t sure her vocals were my jam but the overall effect was comforting. They were missing a member tonight. It’ll be interesting to hear the whole group.
Em needs a sit down after all that so back downstairs we go to relax until it’s time to be late for:
Gladboy
Is this surf rock? Lullaby pop? “Garage psycadelic?” I don’t know genre. They describe themselves as “junkedelic trio from deepest darkest norwich looking to save your soul” and I can’t argue. See it’s not just the outfits that are retro, its the sound. They had a song where sho-whop didn’t feel out of place as a lyric.
I had noticed a group of interestingly dressed teens. Turns out some were the band.
Three boys who had a good thing and knew it. George Orton on lead vocals/guitar/synth, Sonny Mitchell mostly drums but also guitar/synth/vocals, and Adam Bentham on bass/vocals. It’s a playful set. At times they switch roles and get hair tousles from the audience.
Orton’s shifting accent must be fake but it works, though I found myself uncomfortable when he started moaning during one track - anyone younger than my younger-brother is too young to know what sex is. Mitchell looked like he was having fun no matter the instrument. Well, as far as I could see from under that mop of brown hair. Bentham stood out by dressing normal and and just playing with skill and a smile.
I’m not usually the type to sit on command but when they requested it for a softer track I joined many others on the sticky floor. They worked the soft intimacy for all they could.
There was a call for encore but they’d run out of songs so had to repeat. No complaints here.
They just got a writeup in The Tab that says they still have a few years left at uni. Guess that means I’ll have the opportunity to see them a few times more and that warms my heart. Oh and anti despair machine - local music blog - had them as song of the day. So that’s nice.
Overall?
Yeah! Yet another smashing Odd Box gig. No surprise. All three got added to my see again list. Gladboy was the highlight. They really put on a show: something that many local acts don’t. It’s easier for me to have fun with a band with good stagecraft and ok music than most bands with good music and no stage presence. Looking at what I wrote it was mostly not about the music.
They didn’t have a tshirt for me to buy but their lead solidified my need for a Hawaiian shirt. Within the week I had a nice red shirt and then George retweeted it. Got that hashtag validation.
There’s a button on their bandcamp that offers two EPs and two solo projects for £2 or more. I think I’ll be taking them up on that.
Fever Machine I want to see in six months and Lucille… whenever they have a full cast but ideally in a venue where I can lounge.
The Owl is closing down?
I don’t know much about the old owl. I’ve been told that it had a different atmosphere and I know it was more accessible. Most bands play upstairs and there is no lift. This means wheelchair users and other people with mobility issues can’t enjoy the music. The old owl was all on the same floor.
But I know I like the new owl. There’s not many places around like it. It’s a medium between the large venues like Waterfront and Epic Studios and all the little cafe gig spaces. It’s affordable and familiar. I’ve never felt unsafe there.
After the show Sky and I resolved to make the most of the place by going for a non-alcoholic drink - I still get shit for this at times but if she’s driving then I’m not drinking. I used to be on medication which mixed badly with alcohol so I know how to go out without drinking - on the Thursday and actually talk instead of listening to music (spoiler alert there was a gig).
I’m hoping to make it there for Easter Waster Sunday. The maybe-final night.