Undoubtedly the most spectacular gig of the year! Celebrating a decade on the live music scene, Geordie heroes, The Pale White (brothers Adam and Jack Hope), smashed the place up at the Boiler Shop, Newcastle. They also had the most brilliant local supports: Scott Hepple And The Sun Band AND Strays.
STRAYS
I absolutely adore Geordie rock band, Strays. They are such a fun, cool outfit to catch live and totally the real deal when it comes to rocker attitude. This was a wild opportunity for them to open up for The Pale White at Boiler Shop; their largest venue to date. And they absolutely nailed it, commanding that stage like the true champions that they are!
Frontman Barns was on incredible form commanding the performance with his ballsy rockstar attitude; he kept his cool shades on for most of the set. His edgy rocker nature with his punkish vocal attack and furiously charged rhythm guitar playing mark him out as force to be reckoned with. There’s a definite US alternative rock flavour to the band’s style, which he particularly encapsulates on tracks like Got A Grudge.
Strays have such a quality rhythm section who were tight throughout. Evan Adamson was super cool on bass with these guys. Stood right in front of him, you could tell he was loving every moment slamming out some ferociously heavy licks with real passion… on tracks like On Top, he was particularly commanding. Good to see him taking some backing vocals too. Aidan Elliott was rock solid and powerful behind the drum kit. There are some really tasty punkish grooves in Strays tracks, and he pummelled those skins with some force.
Kez De Wessington on lead guitar delivered some gloriously infectious hooks for the anthemic tracks that the boys smashed out. You can tell the influence of US alt rock/punk on the guitar sound… maybe even earlier new wave.
Track highlights included Show Me The Real You which seemed to really broaden the guitar influences. And then ending the set with their debut single, Easy Come, Easy Go, was magnificent and provoked plenty of energy from the crowds. This performance has definitely attracted lots of new fans for this ace band.
Strays are about to embark on a UK tour in the next few weeks. Get ready for the most infectious tracks and the best mosh pits. Plus some awesome upcoming bands, including Weave, Stageminus, Risco, Buses, Wool, and Kidpunk, as supports.
CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT MORE ABOUT STRAYS ON INSTAGRAM!
SCOTT HEPPLE AND THE SUN BAND
Scott Hepple And The Sun Band are an absolute force of nature. As main support to The Pale White throughout the entire tour (with assorted members collaborating live with the Hope brothers) they have had the opportunity to showcase their amazing 70s inflected hard rock sound to audiences across the country. As fellow Geordies, this was a special home gig at the Boiler Shop for them too.
Last night the guys performed as a three piece: Scott Hepple (lead vocals and guitar), Alfred Annable (bass) and Luc Hindmarsh (drums). Each of them are incredibly accomplished musicians, which showed in their epic delivery of each track. Their ferociously heavy sound inflected with psychedelic elements was absolutely captivating. On a far bigger stage to when I’d last seen them at the uber cool Sneaky Pete’s in Edinburgh at the start of The Pale White tour, the sheer impact of the squealing guitars, the harsh bass attack, and the ferociously pounding drums was even more striking.
In discussing their vibe with a couple of pals in the crowd, we agreed that they had a really impressively original sound. But we were also struck by comparisons to legendary bands like Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath. Scott’s appearance and vocal abilities to perform incredibly high register, especially on Better Run, while at the same time demonstrating really wild rock finesse could definitely be worthy of Robert Plant influence. Maybe even early Bowie for the more psychedelic parts.
The third and most recent Sun Band album, English Mustard, is an absolutely glorious sonic blast. Highlights of the album, including Smoke And Frown, were showcased in the set. I’m determined to see them do a full headliner soon!
FIND MORE ABOUT SCOTT HEPPLE AND THE SUN BAND ON INSTAGRAM AND FACEBOOK.
THE PALE WHITE – HEADLINE SET
And so on to the main event. The Pale White: The Best Geordie Rock Band Of Their Generation.
Right from the opening bars of Lost In A Moment, the crowd were utterly behind this most brilliant and special homecoming band. Adam’s electrifying guitar hooks echoing across the venue; Jack just absolutely slamming those drums with the greatest ferocity. You could really feel the force of that snare.
Songs from the new album particularly went down a treat with everyone. Absolute Cinema is such a catchy, energetic number. And Göbekli Tepe was Jack’s absolute drumming masterclass; so thunderous and commanding. He surely ranks among the best alternative rock drummers in the UK right now. Good to see Luc from the Sun Band adding extra congas for that real percussive onslaught. There were brilliant mosh pits at this stage erupting too.
Scott Hepple (rhythm guitar) and Alfred Annable (bass) from the Sun Band were also epic additions to the live soundscapes which definitely enriched that harsh QOTSA infected edge to the newer tracks like Moth In The Headlights. Loved Alfred’s pounding bass on fan fave track Float Away especially.
Among other many highlights of the set were a couple of brilliant tracks from The Big Sad. I’m Sorry (This Time) is a particularly emotive and passionate track. It has a real anthemic quality which went down really well. It hits me every time when Adam sings “I never did find infinite pleasure” as a nod to the debut LP (good to hear a throwback to that with the track Medicine too). Also from The Big Sad, Real Again and especially Jack’s monster drum fill crescendo transitioning into Trapped In A Vacuum was epic. Adam’s Beatles style guitar on Trapped sounded glorious as it reverberated around this brilliant venue… you can imagine Macca giving a thumbs up to this one!
The encore was one of pure and personal emotion. The lo-fi version of the Everly Brothers, All I Have To Do Is Dream, was so menacingly powerful. Adam’s vocal was superb as he had been all night.
But then my favourite point of the whole gig was seeing my young pal and fellow super-fan of The Pale White, Evan Adamson, return to the stage on acoustic guitar alongside the band to perform the final number of the night; the R.E.M. inspired track, Final Exit. Evan is a true rockstar; anyone who has had the pleasure of watching him rip it up on the drum kit with awesome local band, Idle Hands, or seen him ace it on bass as he did at this gig with Strays, will also know just how talented a musician he is. For this track with The Pale White, he played the guitar with real passion and confidence, sang his heart out, and clearly loved every moment of it from the beaming smile on his face.
This will be a gig that will be talked about for a while to come. A real celebration of our amazing local music scene in Newcastle!
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