As I headed to B2 to see my friends in their recently formed band, Front Bangs, I had a fairly biased view going into it, but was sceptical of how good the gig would be. I was pleasantly surprised. Unfortunately missing their previous gigs in and around Norwich this was my first opportunity to see them in live action. B2 is known for its intimate feel as a venue and its continuous cycle of mainly rock bands, so Thursdays’ mix of artists came as a refresher to the venue.
JBXM was first to take to the stage at 8pm with eclectic remixes of the likes of Lorde and M.I.A, in some fantastic electronic mash-ups of big tunes. ‘Future Bass’ was my favourite mix of the night, really bringing up the tempo in the venue and getting the audience ready for an evening of music. As previously featured on BBC Introducing at such an early point of his career, he can only be highly commended for the high quality mixes he’s created so far and his growing ability to work a crowd.
Kulk were next up, a duo who describe themselves as a heavy alternative band they certainly demanded the attention of the crowd. With minimal vocals and an attentional focus on the heavy drums, it was a rock showcase from start to finish.
After a short interval and set-up change the four piece that is the Front Bangs took to the stage. They opened with ‘Forever Yours’, swiftly followed by ‘Down By The River’, recently making its way onto Spotify and ITunes, perhaps their most perfected song so far. This highly infectious tune had the majority of the crowd joining in and served as a upbeat opener to their set.
Personal highlights for me came from the song ‘Psycho’ with punctual lyrics and a funkier edge, this song certainly stood out, as an experimental side of the band emerged. Also ‘Millie’ and ‘Whisper’ were greatly received by gig-goers and demonstrated the array of talents within the four piece. With a classically trained musician, a huge fan of hip-hop and influences from the likes of John Frusciante, it is easy to see how the band has developed a unique and varied sound within their songs. With demand from the audience they closed the gig by replaying ‘Down By The River’, this time almost everyone singing along. An all-round upbeat and fun gig that made the Thursday evening fly-by.
As one of their first gigs, it was hardly noticeable, the comfort of a familiar audience allowed them to deal with technical difficulties, as well as swap up their set list to the demands of the audience. This will not be the last we hear from this band, with local and national gigs in the pipeline this alternative indie band will certainly getting their name out there. Once again, their new single ‘Down By The River’ is available below, or on Spotify and ITunes, well worth a listen.
