On 16th September The Blinders played Camden’s Electric Ballroom. Originally scheduled for 20th May 2020 at The 100 Club, this date was upgraded to a larger venue, but also rescheduled a few times due to the various lockdowns and COVID-19 related restrictions.
I was not in time to see the first support band – Stone – but I did get to see the whole Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard set. The band – a quartet from Cardiff – were fronted by a twenty-something man who seems to have spent his formative years watching Mick Jagger performance videos. Encompassing the best of ‘70s glam rock (by which I mean they took the music and thankfully left the outfits where they belong), they have created a good sound which works well live and I am sure sounds just as good (if not better) on record.
Their stand-out tracks were John Lennon is My Jesus Christ and Break Right In. The former has a familiar sound to it, but I couldn’t figure out what, whereas the latter has definite hints of 10cc’s Rubber Bullets, amongst other influences. If you like rock with a ‘70s influence, they are worth checking out, and definitely entertaining live.
The only complaint about the set was the lead singer – Tom Rees – needs to enunciate when introducing the songs. It was nigh on impossible for anyone not familiar with their back catalogue to understand what he was saying – and it was nothing to do with his rather mild Cardiff accent.
The Blinders took to the stage to the Interlude from Fantasies of a Stay At Home Psychopath – which, with a stage setup made up of little pieces of the album cover for their latest studio release, was a great way to start.
Launching into three songs from the same album, the band set the stage for what would be an energetic and much-loved-by-the-crowd show. Not ones for taking it easy on stage, by the end of the first song both the lead singer and bassist (Thomas Haywood and Charlie McGough – the only permanent band members at present) were dripping with sweat.
They continued with tunes from the debut studio album along with one song which only featured on the latest release, The Lounge Lizard Sessions. The energy from the band was contagious and the audience were full of it. This, along with the extra year they had to learn the words to the latest songs (possibly the only plus from the tour being delayed so long), made for a great atmosphere.
The band were on brilliant form, the show was entertaining and a little different to previous tours as Thomas was make-up-free. If you enjoy The Blinders’ music you should definitely check them out live. One piece of advice, though- if you’re not a fan of a mosh pit (or having someone crowd surf over you) you will be safer at the edges of the crowd. With their style of music, it’s likely a common occurrence, but in this post-lockdown/shutdown world it is likely those fans who have a penchant for such are working extra hard, and there was definitely a good amount of alcohol imbibed by the audience.
For more photos check out the gig gallery.
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