Page 50 - Black Velvet Magazine Issue 98

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WITTERQUICK / EVERYTHING ASIDE / THE KAIZENS – BIRMINGHAM ASYLUM 2, 11.08.18
While most rock fans were away at Bloodstock this weekend, we ter.
headed to Birmingham Asylum 2 to see one of the best new bands It’s been a while since an unsigned UK band has impressed us as
around. Witterquick have not yet released a debut album, but their EPs much as Witterquick has though. These guys are really head and shoul-
and singles have impressed us so much that we wanted to check the band ders above the rest. On disc (or Spotify, if you prefer) they sound stunning.
out live – and they did not disappoint. But are they as good live? Yes, they are – as they show us tonight. Songs
For their four-show UK tour, they join forces with The Kaizens and such as ‘Soldiers’ and ‘Fade Out’ are both blissful and brilliant, kicking the
Everything Aside. The Kaizens are a young four-piece band from Torbay set off to a great start. Will Alford has impeccable vocals and the band
in South Devon. On stage they look and sound at home; Tom Bushin has have all mastered their instruments. ‘Hiding Place’ makes you glad you’ve
solid vocals, not a note out of tune. Songs such as ‘You Joke’ and new found the band. Each and every song has what it takes to be a huge hit
song ‘Broken’ have a dark tone with swirls of melancholy and atmosphere, and deserves to be played to a much larger audience – although Will gives
while ‘My Love’ and ‘You’ from their 2016 self-titled EP release are lighter, acknowledgement to the fact that ‘Hiding Place’ has had over 120k plays
toe-tapping indie rock; both raw and perfectly polished at the same time. on Spotify. He grabs an acoustic guitar for ‘Wayward Signs’, a more chilled
It’s our first time seeing Everything Aside since they changed their section of the show, while ‘Bubblegum’ glistens like gold dust; pure per-
name from The Prophets and lost a member. We still remember the first fection in a song. With ‘Shattered Suns’ and ‘Rise’ in the encore, it is a
ever time we saw Kate Thompson, Nathan Gummery and Kris Sharry in short set, and leaves us wanting more. We can’t wait until Witterquick
action and they’ve improved in leaps and bounds since then. Kate’s voice have a full album out and play for much longer – as they really are im-
is so much stronger than it was, and the band’s setlist is tight. They per- maculate. Our new fave UK band? Quite possibly.
form two covers amidst their own material – PVRIS’s ‘St. Patrick’ and YYYYY
Paramore’s ‘Hard Times’, both sounding as good as the originals. They’re Shari Black Velvet
a small indication of what and who inspires Everything Aside. Their own
song ‘No Mistakes’ follows PVRIS by having a mellow and quite desolate Will Alford, Ollie Chanter & Sean Davey (Witterquick) Photo By Shari Black Velvet
tone, although ‘Layers’ bears a more vigorous pace. The band’s hard work
is definitely paying off, with constant gigging making them better and bet-

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