Does LIPA need any introduction? Probably not, but for the one ranch hand in Idaho that stumbled across this review, I’ll give one anyway.
Even in times of nationwide decline in the care given to the arts, the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts, or ‘LIPA’, has remained steadfast in giving a platform to the next aspiring generation of musicians, actors, dancers, and anyone else the government thinks should ‘retrain’. In the world of music, LIPA has produced some of the finest upcoming artists around today; some of you may have heard of a little band called Crawlers?
Once a year, the Institute hosts a music festival of sorts, with several events spread out over a collection of weeks under the banner of 2ube Xtra. Students of the university are invited to perform live, or gain experience working with light, sound, and all of the important technical business that we mere concert goers are not supposed to be privy to.
Attending the closing night, it was a line-up stacked with another collection of talented upcoming acts, culminating in a performance from the university’s next hotly tipped act, The Sukis. The crowd was a who’s who of the next fantastic wave of Merseyside-based music; Bella Wright, Shefu, KC of ugly jumper, to name but a few.
Proceedings kicked off with Big Bad Cat. The collective featured the standard set-up of guitar, bass, and drums, accompanied by trumpet, trombone, and saxophone. Their sound was rooted in jazz and reggae; smooth and smoky, yet catchy and perfectly danceable.
The technical proficiency of the band was particularly fantastic, each member acutely aware of how best to bring their instrument to life in the auditorium, vocals included. The instrumentation is intricately constructed, and particularly engaging to behold when the band engage in some call-and-response style phrases.
Some nerves tease at the edges of the performance, but they’re far from off-putting; they’re indicative not of an outfit that feels unprepared, but an outfit that cares deeply about putting on a show. Their guitarist makes for an excellent frontperson, with a wry sense of humour that puts the audience at ease in their presence. Their bassist is buried in the midst of the ensemble, yet still remains an incredibly fun individual to watch, performing their funky passages with a slick coolness.
Pulling tracks from their extensive unreleased discography, such as ‘No Credit’ and ‘How Long Will Time Wait’, the outfit win over the audience with ease, pockets of the crowd finding themselves unable to resist dancing. It’s not all just about the funk though; the vocal performance throughout is indulgent in its richness, with a playful and soulful classiness that perfectly compliments the instrumental backing.
Hopefully for Big Bad Cat, this performance represents one of the first steps of a bright future. There is a captivating core identity to this band that, if nurtured, could take them far, positioned at the forefront of the next generation of the eternally timeless jazz scene. A genuine pleasure to watch.
Originally heralding from New Hampshire in the United States, Carleigh Mack’s brand of ‘scream-cry-into-your-pillow-indie-alternative’ fits right into the cultural zeitgeist of alternative right now; relatable, humorous and grounded, yet also earnest and with just the right pinch of pop glitter.
With a live set-up of talented musicians, including Eli Younger of Architect’s Daughter, Mack was well equipped for her set; there is an obvious chemistry between the musicians, enabling a rock band spirit to be conjured on stage, despite the solo singer-songwriter status of Mack.
Mack was blessed with an eager crowd, who seemed already very well acquainted with her material. Mack is a charismatic and endearing presence on stage, delivering both brilliantly catchy melodies, and a genuinely fun performance.
A broken string on her electric guitar causes Mack no difficulties, taking it in her stride before swapping out to an acoustic guitar. The interval between songs as Mack tunes her instrument feels less like an awkward technical hitch, and more like the break between tracks at an intimate show from your favourite artist.
It’s at this point that it becomes clear that watching Mack feels like watching an indie star in the making. I often refer to it as some impossible to truly define, but you know it when you see it, and Mack has it. Is it the talent? The stage presence? The charisma? Yes, yes, and yes, but it’s more. It’s a sparkle you see reflected in the faces of concertgoers. An effortlessness that puts you perfectly at ease in their company. Mack has it, and has lots of it.
Even with her vocals layered bare against a stripped-back segment of just piano, Mack remains captivating and in-charge. Her performance of her song ‘Strange Colours’ is her finest of the evening, truly showing a magnificent vocal talent; not in a manner of fancy vocal acrobatics, but pure, shiver-inducing soul.
Things are ramped up once more as Mack brings her set to a close, announcing her new single ‘Crop Circles’ as being released on June 5th. Nearly the entire crowd are off the ground as they can’t stop themselves from jumping to Mack’s music. With a live performance so compelling to engage with, it’s hard not to imagine the name ‘Carleigh Mack’ headlining your favourite local venue very soon. A joyful experience from start to finish.
West Midlands Midwest emo outfit Danger Dog acted as the penultimate course of the evening’s proceedings. The four-piece are an enigmatic band that have just recently begun to break out of the Merseyside circuit, taking their bristling live performances to Manchester and London. This, however, was Danger Dog on home turf, and bigger than ever.
With an ambient soundscape accompanied by intricate light work, the band take to the stage in, of course, Hawaiian shirts. Mascot and titular dog Coco adorns the back screen of the venue. It’s a hint, a preview, a teaser of what’s to come in the future of Danger Dog’s career, as they open this set with a fascinating instrumental piece, guitars layered with an intricate wonder.
The band treat the audience to a guest appearance from Eli Younger, now also dressed in Hawaiian attire, having swapped out his bass for his signature trumpet. Guitarist Matt Ellis is particularly electrifying to watch, snapping into an entirely different character as he deftly executes some phenomenally technical guitar work, moving about the stage with an unexpected ferocity.
Ripping through singles such as ‘Big Z Surf Memorial’ and ‘(d)anger dog’, the audience are increasingly drawn into their sound, which is an impressive feat; with the harsh, barked vocals of Harry Hemming, the unconventional song structures, and the technically dense musicianship, this isn’t the most radio-friendly of sounds. Yet, with a performance this compelling and genuinely fun to watch, the audience permit their intrigue to melt into pure enjoyment.
Interactions with the audience are sharp and witty, with Hemming acting as something of a non gender specific father figure to the band, keeping them in line with a playful exasperation. Unreleased tracks from the band, having been thoroughly mastered at their many live shows, are sounding better than ever, now begging for a studio rendition; perhaps an EP?
Their set is closed with a staple of the Danger Dog discography; despite being unreleased, the track is instantly recognisable, commencing from a slow-burn start, before building to an explosive, celebratory closing statement, with rapturous brass from Younger, and huge, catchy vocals that beg you to sing along. It’s delivered with a powerful passion that the audience can evidently feel, revelling in a sound that many may have at first found a little alien.
I have previously described Danger Dog’s music as being the perfect anthems for sweaty basement venues, and that holds true. But on a far grander stage, the band still retain their magical presence, and adapt shockingly well to the greater space they occupy. Certainly, if the future of Danger Dog holds stages of increasingly greater magnitude, there is no doubt they will conquer each and every one.
It’s important to remember that numbers are not the be all and end all of music, as much as the Spotify algorithm would attempt to make you believe it is. However, to not mention the impressive traction of The Sukis so early into their career would be doing them a disservice. With over 117,000 monthly listeners, and their track ‘Becca’ having hit the impressive milestone of over 15,000,000 listens, it’s hard not to view the enigmatic three-piece as the next big thing in indie.
Of course, being big on social media is only half the battle; without a compelling live show, the excitement is sure to fizzle out. Thankfully, if this closing performance for 2ube Xtra 2024 is anything to go by, then The Sukis have nothing to worry about. From the very opening moments of the set, you are immediately hit with an impressive stage presence; full of character and styled in an effortlessly cool manner, it is clear that The Sukis aren’t a band you could mistake for anyone else.
Influences from indie and Britpop legends such Arctic Monkeys and The Smiths are clear in their sound, but they are embellished with plenty of unique ideas and twists, spawning something that is familiar and engaging, yet enticingly unique. Opening up with unreleased track ‘In My Eyes’, the crowd are immediately alert and enthusiastic, not particularly caring if they know the words or not.
The surf rock vibes of ‘Intimacy’ demonstrates a distinctly charming and chaotic whimsy to the band, making them very endearing to behold. With familiar sonic territory of songs like ‘Intimacy’ and ‘Imposter Syndrome’, the energy of the crowd moves up a gear, fans happily singing along whilst newcomers are easily swept up by the band’s infallible charisma.
‘Pinch Me’ offers a more laidback experience, with a bluesy backbone to the track, layered with some wonderfully soulful vocals from Tige Burns. ‘Normal People’ is offered up to the audience as a track that has never been played live before, with a promise that it’ll appear on the band’s upcoming EP. Driving guitars and a twinkling piano melody give the track a glittering retro feel, perfectly playing into the aesthetic of the band.
‘Cherryade’ and ‘Swirl’ go down well with the crowd, but ‘Animo’ gets the biggest response thus far from the dancing audience. Rattling percussion and slick bass lines ooze with an effortless coolness, whilst the interaction with the crowd requires little encouragement; it’s evidently a popular track with fans and newcomers alike.
(A curious note unrelated to the live performance is that the artwork for ‘Animo’ features Mia Vel, fellow performer at 2ube Xtra and member of the particularly fantastic post-punk outfit, Girl Group.)
Finally, as the night begins to come to a close, The Sukis elect to give the audience what they wanted, and their viral hit ‘Becca’ goes down about as well as one could expect. It’s the sort of moment that bands far and wide may work their entire careers for; a room full of people instantly ignited into action by a song. The band relish every moment of it, their energy and enthusiasm palpable, even this deep into their set.
With one final unreleased track, ‘Anyone But You’, The Sukis bring not just the evening to a close, but 2ube Xtra 2024. It is incredible easy to imagine that The Sukis are well on their way to being the indie darlings of the next generation of music listeners. They have the talent, the character, and the drive; all that is necessary now is just a pinch of luck.
LIPA ought to be proud of the performance their students had put on, from the performers themselves, to the technical team, and even to the stewards. The next generation of artists and creatives are not simply being educated here, but nurtured, and the range of genres on show that night is indicative of a body of students unafraid to be unashamedly themselves.
Featured photo credit belongs to @shotbymaw.
Follow the artists on social media below:
Big Bad Cat
Carleigh Mack
Danger Dog
The Sukis
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