BurySOUND 2022 kicked off with an energetic Heat One at The Hunter Club – the excitement radiating from founder Seymour Quigley was very palatable as it really does seem as though live music is back on track!
Only four bands in the heat as ‘Wards of Iron’ were struck down with COVID and unfortunately couldn’t participate, however that didn’t affect the enjoyment and quality of the night. Each band had 25 minutes to showcase themselves to the eager crowd.
First up was 4-piece guitar band from Cambridge ‘Hungry’. Heavy drums sound to a fresh indie/post-punk band. There is angry angst emanating from the lead singer which is transformed into a type of poetry as he wasn’t quite singing. A deep raw voice to match the deep bass sounds and some great guitar playing. Tracks included some fantastic fast rapping which added to their sound which is on trend. Their showcase set showed off their dynamic, yet consistent style and was a great set to start the evening.
Next up was ‘TONYT’ a 3-piece indie rock band using samples to add a different dimension to their sound. The lead singer/guitarist oozed confidence and engaged the crowd straightaway, plus he had a super voice with a great tone. The idea of samples adds so much depth to a 3-piece and allows then to explore and reach out beyond their own boundaries, which these guys did. They explored several genres within the set and all delighted the crowd. With this night only being their second live gig ever, they gave a superb performance and a band to keep an eye on.
Third in line was ‘Blue Sunday‘, a female fronted metal band. Superb drummer and guitarist – the two best musicians of the night and played tight together, in fact the best musicians of the night. Unfortunately the singer didn’t match the talent of the rest of the band.
Last of the night was ‘Name Loading’ with his style of music. Very different from what you would generally expect from a Battle of The Bands type competition, and an applause for Seymour to have non-traditional bands in the competition. Name Loading was indeedmaking music and getting the crowd dancing and jumping with his electronic style. He’s on stage with a computer and plenty of gear for knob twiddling. The mix and use of samples, drum beats, vocal sounds and other sounds were bought together for some cracking rave-type beat sounds. A lot of work and concentration goes into creating this type of music and well done to him!
The crowd then were treated with a performance from the headlining act ‘L U’ while the judges deliberated which act from Heat One would go through to the final of BurySOUND 2022. It was a difficult decision and to be honest the results were only one point in it, but the winners of Heat One were: HUNGRY !!
We will see Hungry at the final on March 18th at The Apex and Heat Two of BurySOUND 2022 will be at The Hunter Club 11th February
All photos are Tony @ SixtyTwoThings – to see more click here.
This review first appeared on GrapevineLIVE