The Phoenix Fall have been gathering momentum in the Leeds music scene for some time now and tonight's sold out event is the climax of their latest efforts on new single: 'Tearing Me Apart' which is available through all the usual suspects: iTunes, Amazon and 7digital. Before the throng of punters packing The Library tonight get to sample it, we are presented with another three bands from the unsigned crop.Warming up is Tom Bradley. A recent outing at the Packhorse proved Tom was more than capable of a strong tune, and for this slot he's got a bassist and drummer in tow. The band set up works well for him and gives him a stronger presence in the more spacious setting of The Library. His soulful raspy pipes are a real asset, but look past this most obvious factor and you will see that the songs are all expert, and sit head and shoulders above many of the other acts having ago in the same poppy reggae vain as Tom. The performance looks relaxed and contented but this is the kind of fluency only achieved through hard work. A throwaway, but more than adept cover of 'Hit the Road Jack' proves Tom has been learning from the masters.
Next in line is Robbie Redway. With help from female backing vocalists and guitar Robbie ambles his way through a set of compelling, self assured acoustic pop numbers. His simple, but dynamic approach to performance will no doubt resonate with anybody in the audience who enjoyed Tom Bradley's early set: there's a little of the same down tempo, lazy jazz direction here. Robbie is however less bright, and colours his songs with a more delicate, ethereal attitude. Beautifully arranged pieces fit together with a fluid, harmonious adhesive. Perhaps for the first time tonight we experience some real atmosphere flowing from the stage. With folk acts like Fleet Foxes breaking the mainstream at the moment, Robbie could do well in offering up some sort of British pop counterpart.
Bright Sons, formally Valleys, inject a bit more of a conventional full band set up into the bill. Their sturdy synth pop sound immediately turns a few more heads, if for nothing more than the increase in volume. The set is a twinkling mix of electro Casio tones and spacey brazen guitars. Some interesting rhythmic arrangements and hooks show the band are tuned in to producing songs that are popular enough to take them somewhere, but without compromising the need to look beyond the standard formulas. They seem a little restricted on The Library stage, but it's a solid performance that gets an encouraging reception and one the lads can be pleased with.
So, onto this evening's eagerly awaited moment. Before The Phoenix Fall set we are given a première of the band's new video to accompany the 'Tearing Me Apart' single, which summons a few 'oos' and 'ahhs' amongst the crowd as they realise just how professional this lot have got. And deservedly so, the finished product looks the business and certainly shows some hard work.
The set kicks off with the single, which has been polished up to a great standard. The band are obviously bursting with pride as the audience are so enthusiastic, and show it by providing dancing from the front, to the back of the venue. Front man Ollie does well to work them into even more of a frenzy, and they continue to play off the fervour. The last single, 'What Really Matters To Me', which clocked up 1000 downloads, is given the same treatment and proves just how much work has gone into getting The Phoenix Fall to where they are. Boldly and shamelessly clean pop, the band make no apologies for an Oasis cover which goes down a storm. Pop maybe, but each member is more than competent and the musicianship aspect is consistently on the mark. Drummer Charlie forms the foundation, around which the rest of the band can depend on to belt out their big, choruses. It's a job well done for them as they vacate the stage, leaving the audience hungry for more of the energetic numbers that make them so accessible. A band who know exactly where they are going.
