BurySOUND’23 Heat 4
The Hunter Club Bar & Venue has become my ‘local’ for the last four weeks. Can a venue fifteen miles from home be considered local? It’s another Friday night, heat 4 of BurySOUND and I’m slightly disappointed that Esme Emerson have had to drop out. Yes folks, Covid is still lurking in the wings and causing cancellations – get well soon guys.
As ever the eclectic mix of BurySOUND left us with some grunge, punk, rock’n’roll and a brave soloist, Chloe, singing to backing tracks. Chloe was not the only soloist appearing in the heats this year. I always admire the courage it takes to stand on stage alone to perform to an audience of very mixed tastes.
But it was guttural grunge that got the evening going with Rascade, a drum driven three piece who certainly had no problem getting the venue pumping. Long haired shoegazing is always a photographic challenge, but that had nothing to do with the sound they were making.
The evening ended with punk from The Moochers. I was asked later what it was about them that I liked. I struggled. Not to like them, but to define why! The lyrics, the anger, the message… it all blended into something worth watching and listening to. I will watch their progress and development with interest of the next year or so. Maybe it was those early U2 influences, who knows.
First then last? You may have noticed that this review is not chronological – anyone can do lists! Perhaps I’m just keeping the best bit until the end…
The band who won, and who will go on to the final at The Apex on April 14th was Ikarus. I had heard good things about this band and was expecting… well, in truth I don’t know what I was expecting. What I got were four very young men, 16-17 year olds, from Framlingham who walked up on stage and took over. Built on a solid foundation of good musicianship these guys bounced, jumped, sang, gurned and larked about having a whale of a time.
But here is the thing, every one of those young men were watching the other three. They knew exactly what they were each doing and because of this, the whole effect was far greater that the sum of the parts.
Next week, Friday 31st March, is the last heat of BurySOUND 2023 before the final on April 14th. But if you still need a fix of the BurySOUND machine there is also The Haverhill Showcase at Haverhill Arts Centre on April 28th.
