A very decent turnout at The Waterfront Studio enjoyed three very good young bands this Sunday evening in Norwich.
First up were Norwich's very own New Scientists, playing their brand of tuneful, upbeat indie-rock. I've been listening to their excellent 'Teeth' EP for the past few weeks and it was great to hear them drop a couple of tracks from it live. It's catchy music perfect for the radio.
They are already good songwriters and with proper guidance from their record label 'New Black Records' I think they can go all the way. Definitely check them out.
Next up were the much more established Edinburgh quartet 'Vistas'. Already masters of well structured song writing, their cheery, sing-along music was a perfect escape from a cold, wet Autumn evening. I have a feeling with one big song these guys can break through internationally.
They have real quality, play tight, and harmonise excellently. I'd say they may be the best band I've seen up here in The Waterfront Studio since The Little Comets a few years back.
They would fare well on the festival stages throughout 2019, and to be honest, with over two hundred thousand Spotify followers already they aren't far off.
The headliners were Bloxx, the four piece alternative band from Uxbridge, fronted by the only girl on stage of the night Ophelia. She, alongside the rest of the band Taz, Paul and Moz were fantastic, and despite a fairly nervous start they gained in confidence as the set went on and kept the crowd moving with their grungy, indie melodies.
With a similar Spotify following to Vistas they are also doing pretty well and are also moving upwards. It's cold and miserable October nights in Norwich such as this which make a band, and again I can see them doing well on the UK circuit next year.
Once again I have to sing the praises of this great music venue. To have three up and coming bands of such quality up here on a Sunday evening is testament to the team responsible for booking and programming the nights. The sound was booming and the lighting good.
As always there were no issues, problems or hassle and it's a comfortable place. It remains my favourite venue in the city, and if you haven't been for a while or indeed have never been upstairs here, I urge you to check out future gigs. It is the grassroots of the national music scene where you'll always have a good night.
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