Earlier this month, The Goa Express returned to Liverpool courtesy of Boot Music. With a line-up of stellar indie musicians, what ensued was a delightfully free-spirited evening of big tunes, and even bigger energy.
Saturday nights in Liverpool city centre are already guaranteed to give you a good time, never-mind a Saturday night at the start of the festive period. Across the city, people sprawled out of the pubs and clubs in their finest festive outfits, despite the constant drizzle. It’s the sort of atmosphere that has you looking for a good night out with some excellent indie tunes in a wonderful local venue. How very convenient!
EBGBS has played host to many an upcoming indie and alternative act, and continues to play an important role in giving smaller acts a great intimate space to perform. The venue is little more than a converted cellar space, curved stone brick ceiling dimly lit by neon strip lights. No barrier exists, and sound travels well, perfect for artists just starting on their creative journeys, such as Felix Hill.
The Bolton born singer-songwriter has been steadily picking up traction, especially in the north-west, with a combination of persistent touring, and genuinely well written indie tunes that are packed with character. The music has a certain youthful charm that you might find in a track by the likes of Two Door Cinema Club, or perhaps The Courteneers.
Kicking things off with his track ‘Vodka Lemonade’, Hill is accompanied by a live band that appear to have a real love for the material they are playing, especially from the particularly energetic and entertaining bassist. Any nerves are shaken from Hill by the surf-rock tinged cut ‘Down by the Races’, as he settles comfortably into the performance.
There’s a real talent that Hill possesses that is hard to deny. His vocals are distinctive, a little like those of a young Morrisey, but with a much more pleasant warmth and a far greater melodic feel. The acoustic track ‘Safe and Sound’ truly allowed those vocals to shine, as Hill provided a wonderfully tender performance.
After breezing through tracks such as ‘Swim Deep’ and ‘Streetlight Panorama’, Hill brings his set to a close having certainly won the audience over with his earnest nature and genuine talent. There’s a lot within Hill’s skillset that can very easy make him quite the indie darling; with a little more confidence, there’s a very bright future available.
As with any event organised by Boot Music, you can be certain it will fill up quickly. People who haven’t heard a single song from the line-up of musicians will simply drop by knowing that it’s sure to be a great night of live music.
Of course, that energy still needs to be tapped into by the musicians on stage, and the second act of the night, Juno, had zero issues with us. Immediately the venue was set alight with their scrappy, noisy presence, encouraging the crowd to come forwards and fill up the front of the venue. Happily, the crowd obliged.
Rolling through tracks such as ‘Everything I Need’ and ‘Cascade’, the band truly embody the infectious spirit of indie sleeze, carrying themselves with the swagger and confidence of a headline act and delivering their indie tunes with a decisive punk energy.
The audience were deeply receptive the band’s passion, dancing in groups and getting hooked into the fierce, constantly moving performance in stage. Even during the band’s longest cut, the unreleased track ‘Visions’, which was tinged with a slick psych vibe, the audience remained focused and engaged.
By the end of Juno’s set, the venue was packed out from front to back, spirits high. For fans of The Goa Express, it’s a celebratory evening. The band have been hard at work for nine years at this point, releasing singles and performing live, capturing the ethos of 2000’s indie and all of its flaws.
This headline show felt like the culmination of that. A celebration not just of their debut album, but a raw, messy, and raucous indie culture that threatens to be polished out of existence. The free spirited energy of the band puts the audience at ease immediately, the front section of the crowd immediately igniting into life with dance and song.
The band rip through their big tracks such as ‘Honey’, ‘It’s Never Been Better’, and ‘Good Luck Charm’, their fuzzy, slightly blues rock tinged take on 00’s indie giving a thumping soundtrack to this Saturday night evening. It’s hard not to find the band compelling to watch as they move from song to song with effortless, gleeful energy.
By the end of the blistering harmonica passage, The Goa Express establish themselves as definite upcoming indie stars, a band that has a real appreciation not just for where the scene has been, but what makes the scene important and alive.
The north of England has always been a legendary breeding ground for the indie scene, and nights like this make it clear that this reputation isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Artists such as Felix Hill and bands such as Juno and The Goa Express make it clear that indie is in very good hands going into the future. All you have to do is turn up and dance.
Featured photo credit belongs to @cal.moores.
Follow the acts on social media below:
Felix Hill
Instagram // Spotify // Twitter
Juno
Instagram // Spotify // Twitter
The Goa Express
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