Blending 1980's garage punk from the heart of Detroit with the best of Liverpool's local talent, this gig was set to be one of the most culturally rich garage/psych nights the city had seen in a while.... And it didn't disappoint ! Attracting a host of high-profile characters within the Liverpool music scene it became not only a night of full throttle punk from start to finish but also a thriving environment offering proof that Liverpool's music status is back on the up.
Mincemeat
On arrival , we knew very little about this local psych act , but it was clear from the first 30 seconds of their set that they were going to become one of our favourite live acts! In terms of the music, each song captures the rawest elements of the psych, punk and garage movements creating a super-charged half hour of youthful angst perfectly suited to the cramped sweaty surroundings of The Magnet. However, although their music is up their with the best of its kind Liverpool, it is the stage presence of lead singer Ste Lewin that really takes them above the majority of live acts. Using the compact environment of the venue to his advantage , thrashing around stage and creating an incredible distorted vocal effect by singing parts of one song into his guitar (that has to be one of the best bits of showmanship we have reviewed!). They may not have the biggest following as of yet but there's almost something tribal about the euphoric feeling you receive from watching their set - they are definitely worth seeing whenever you get the chance.
Ohmns
As a more familiar face , Ohmns have become entrenched in the Liverpool music scene as mild folk heroes. Commened for their notable presence at live events across the city and have often been credited as the best live band in Liverpool at the moment. It is clear to see why they have been given this accolade when you can watch them play. Just like Mincemeat , Ohmns have their unforgettable character in the form of their drummer Kingy. Filling any between songs he could find with obscure wrestling references and crude explanations of the song meanings. It wasn't clear quite what state of mind he was in but it WAS clear that he was having a fucking good time! And that was infectious. It is rare to see such enthusiasm from the crowd when watching a local band of their size. Keshi Heads certainly showed what they were all about, 7 minutes long , but not a second wasted. As psych continues to grow within the city through the aid of Liverpool Psych Fest Ohmns are right at the forefront of the movement and are one of the most entertaining and rawest live acts we have seen!
The Gories
Talking of raw, The Gories are bout as raw as it gets. Just two guitars, two toms and a whole lot of Detroit swagger. After gathering a cult following in the 1980's for their contribution to the garage rock scene, they have finally returned to the UK for a re-union tour. With the rich musical history the city holds it seemed the perfect marriage to see the band play in one of the Liverpool's finest small venues. Stage dives, sing-a-longs and suitably sweaty moshing ensued to compliment the on stage antics of Mick Collins and Dan Kohra. Thunerbird ESQ and I Think I've Had It stood out as pure classics that got even those who had never heard of them up and screaming like they were in the heart of Detroit themselves. But everyone was waiting to burn their lungs out to the final song of the night... NITROGLYCERIN !! The one song that encapsulates the music culture at the time and rams it into 4 sweet minutes of blues-rock. It was noticeable how music has developed over the years and how much the support bands had been influenced by The Gories themselves. This all led to perhaps the best night of music for Liverpool culture this year. If you still have time to see them, get out there and get rockin... FIRE IN THE HOLE!!
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