The Marrs Bar – Saturday 7th March
Remember the days when we could go out and watch live music at the start of the month? 100 issues of the glitteringly awesome SLAP magazine deserved a party, and wow, what a party it turned out to be. Hosted at The Marrs Bar on Saturday 7th March, 5 uniquely awesome bands took to the stage to perform to a celebrating crowd of local music lovers, other artists from our crowd and of course the usual “slappers” (an adopted nickname for those of us that contribute to the Bible of things local).
First up were 4 piece Voodoo Reggae band Arcadia Roots. An energetic set of creative drum beats got everyone up dancing from the get go, with a fusion of reggae and rock which was impossible not to love. The beat was infectious and intoxicating, with a visually active performance delighting the audience. The creativity of this band was just brilliant! Connor Maher was up next, plucking his guitar and our heart strings at the same time with a heart felt set of belting ballads. Passion for music poured out from him and out into the ears of us music lovers, with a collection of stories told to music. Talent teamed with an obvious love of what he does equals a captivating performance.
Kick The Clown came literally screaming onto the stage. Singer George announced he was feeling unwell, but the band stormed ahead with a punk performance to be proud of, and a set held up by the bands loving and dedicated team of supporters who sang out loud and proud to assist where George needed them too. After saying the set would be cut short, another song was pulled out of the bag and was rewarded with a full on mosh pit. Hats off boys, you truly did good. Next up, White Noise Cinema exploded onto the stage, one man down , but still the dynamic brilliance I’ve grown to know and love. Hearing songs like “Reaction” and “Unpersons” performed live after reviewing them for SLAP was a personal highlight for me. The songs hold so much more power when performed live and I live them a little bit more each time I see them. Fans of previous bands had stuck around to watch the evening unfold, which was great to see. Support for local, live music knows no genre, and appreciation for what SLAP do, was clear to see.
The night was closed by Fights and Fires, an unassuming bunch of guys who blasted out a set of screaming rock and ended the night with the force of a fireworks display. Jumping off stage and into the crowd, these guys took those of us that hadn’t seen them before, by surprise. Gripping riffs, powerful vocals, deserved finale spot! Well done SLAP for bringing together such a diverse night that worked a treat to showcase what you’re all about. All the bands can be found on Facebook. Go find, them, give them a like and support them as much as you can through the trying months we likely have ahead.
Kate Ford