Guest Post by Becky Waldron
As Wednesday comes around, we all start to feel a little ‘meh’. It is hump day after all. If you find yourself craving a pick-me-up in Brighton on a Wednesday, live music will always be there at your service.
Tundra Love’s third single release at the wonderful Prince Albert was all I needed to get into high spirits. I didn’t quite realise how much of a treat I was in for at the psych/experimental rock bands final show for their Usurper debut. Having graced the stages of Bristol, London and Portsmouth through the previous week, the Tundra Love boys made their last show a great one, with a very enviable line-up.
Waking up the crowd first was garage rock band Les Bods. The three-piece band dived straight in with their rock ‘n’ roll madness, a perfect choice to get the room excited for the night to come.
Followed shortly after was the wonderfully unique Mangö. Dreamy vocals were accompanied by the eclectic sounds created by two guitars, bass and drums. This band had something that engulfed all of those in the room. Their blend of psychedelic rock, with neo-soul, jazz and endless quirky riffs, made their set a music junkies dream.
With time to cool off from Mangö’s final song which elevated the crowd, and perhaps another pint, we awaited the next act to enter this authentically Brighton venue. Captain Süün brought waves of nostalgia with fuzzy guitars and retro vocals, not forgetting their co-ordinated attire of suits resembling a rock band in the ’60s. Anyone who wasn’t left boogying or at least head-bopping was a fool.
Prince Albert had already hosted some incredible bands so far. We were all spoilt knowing we had the talented Tundra boys still to come.
Callum (vocals and guitar), Nick (guitar), Giles (bass) and Tim (drums) all headed to the stage. If the crowd weren’t already exhilarated, they were now. From the very start, the band had us craving the next beat to come our way. Even passers-by of the colourful pub were curious about the enigmatic sounds radiating from the room.
The chemistry of the band was one that couldn’t be faulted, bouncing off each other in a way that made four different instruments become one intoxicating sound. Watching the band on stage almost seemed like they knew where they were supposed to be, and it was there.
The crowd got to hear some of their released singles such as Sacrificial Man and Minds Eye. Two singles that you will be having on repeat for days.
I was pleased with the intimate size of the room as it allowed for the intricacy of each instrument to be heard perfectly. The absolute belter of a guitar that Nick rocked added to the divine textures of Callum’s absorbing vocals, Giles’ amplifying bass and the ever dynamic waves of the drums by Tim.
When the boys began to play Usurper, I knew they’d smash it, but like when every band releases a new single you think “can this really top the last one?” and it did. Usurper reeled me in like a good book, and not only did it get bodies moving, but it made me intrigued by the content of the song itself.
Tundra Love knows how to get a crowd going, and they were definitely the mid-week boost we had all in need of. I have high hopes for this band and all the bands that laced this musically brilliant evening.
Each of them had an unmistakable talent that couldn’t be denied. Just as I was beginning to lose my faith in fresh, real music, I realised I had just been looking in the wrong places. Don’t tune in on your radio, get down to your local venue.
Plugged In Brighton 