On Friday night [April 13] at the Waterfront Studios, The Islas hosted an evening of cracking music which was made up of local talents, all deserving of more recognition.
When going to watch and appreciate live music, it isn't always about going to watch the big bands on the biggest stages around the UK. It is fundamental to keep an eye out and watch the assortment of talent that are playing shows at every available chance in order to gain an extra fan and to get that elusive 'big break'.
Kicking things off for the evening was Pedro, a solo artist armed only with an acoustic guitar in hand.
This guy brought bags of energy, which was a perfect way to connect and hook everyone in the room. When you are watching someone on stage with passion and energy it's difficult to resist a similar feeling, although with only a small audience he made it feel bigger.
Something that helped instantly connect him to the audience was his personality and warmth which resonated from him throughout his performance.
He acknowledged the fact it was still early and encouraged those around to bob along which of course, people did. He also made it clear from the get go that he was going to have to bring the high energy levels to keep up with the bands after him and he succeeded with ease.
Next up following on from Pedro was History & Lore, bringing an assortment of guitars, keyboards and synths to produce powerful indie sound that included massive breakdowns that you couldn't help but head bang a little bit with it.
One thing that must be mentioned, which was a massive shame, was that with the time constraints of each set, it felt like they hit the stage in a rushed fashion.
Their equipment was not fully prepared prior to the set due to these circumstances which left a lot of feedback coming through the monitors. When this happens it unavoidably distracts and takes away from the feel of their set.
It's a shame but they powered through despite the difficulties, eventually ironing out after the fourth song and by the end of their set, it was a distant memory.
One thing that I loved from these guys was the passion they possessed for their music.
The one thing that will never fail to catch anyone's attention is pure passion and joy for the music they are playing.
The mix of big guitar solos with keyboards and melodic vocals all complimented each other well through their songs and when the breakdowns hit, it was just a pleasure to see the band erupt with each and every breakdown that dropped.
Last but not least were the headliners for the evening, The Islas.
The four-piece indie rock band put on a set that flowed so well with each song leading seamlessly into the next with punchy riffs and meaningful lyrics with each song having a deeper meaning cast from their youth, from social media to moderately awkward bedroom experiences.
From the beginning to the end The Islas had the charisma and chemistry needed to make this show their own.
Their set was put together in such a way that it showed off their range from the sentimental to the more care free with each song having a point, having a meaning.
The only exception to this was the surprise of playing their version of Dua Lipa's 'New Rules' which they made their own, putting their spin on the popular song and if you didn't know better, would think it was their own.
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