Anyone would have you think that all that the north of Liverpool’s town centre has is the soon-to-be completed new Everton stadium.
True, the bulk of the city’s things to see and do lie in the very centre of it, on the streets of the Ropewalks down to Matthew Street. However, from the warehouse studios of Vulcan (where a young me once thought he was the next Matt Bellamy), to the fantastic multipurpose venue of the Invisible Wind Factory, even these dockland areas have become a home for the arts.
Quarry is one such location. Tucked away near the overhead railway line, this is a beautiful hidden gem of a location; a rustic beer garden sits at the back of the building, catching that evening sun, whilst the interior is a simple, no-frills affair, with a small stage and an intimate standing area beneath a curved ceiling. It was here that alright (okay) would stage the release show for their brand new single, ‘Boyz Noize’, hosted by the ever brilliant team that is Boot Music.
Of course, the journey is just as important as the destination, and the evening was kicked off by local alternative rock stars, Paint Me In Colour. Having recently just announced a headline tour, this was the perfect opportunity to give people a taster of what they could be seeing in October, and the intimate performance space certainly conjured the vibe of a warm-up show for much bigger things.
A staple of their live set, the band open with a thrilling percussive intro, layered with prerecorded snippets of speech from lead singer Liv Springer. It is the sort of bombastic opening that catches you off guard and immediately hooks you in to the band’s performance. Not that the band require much assistance in that regard; even with a smaller audience, the band managed to perfectly conjure up an uplifting atmosphere.
Tracks such as ‘Ugly’ and ‘Pick Me Up’ are marked by bass lines that pop with groove and energy, whilst Springer’s vocal performance is seemingly note perfect, with a driving power and commanding presence that audience members audibly take note of; more than one concertgoer remarked on the sheer technical prowess of the vocals.
The guitar work is also particularly fascinating to behold, with an intricate use of effects to add some great texture to performances; this is particularly true on an unreleased track the band performs, which weaves through multiple phases and showcases that each element of this band is technically inventive and proficient.
The chemistry between members is clearly visible, looking to one another for reassurance, permitting them to push through some minor technical difficulties to keep the energy high and the atmosphere joyful. Springer’s interactions with the audience work effortlessly; a lesser frontperson may have gotten a weak response from a small crowd, but the pure likeability of this band ensures that is not a problem they must face.
The performance closes off with another unreleased track, ‘Try’, which is a hugely impressive ballad that goes down incredibly well with the audience. Once more it is clear that this isn’t just a band composed of just one creative force and an assortment of other musicians, but instead a four-piece in which every member is an interesting and engaging character to behold. If the band can pull off a performance this good as the opening band, then it’s only right to assume their headline tour is a must-see affair.
The Wirral, and Birkenhead especially, has often been viewed as a secondary location to Liverpool; an afterthought, or the punchline of a joke, in the grander scheme of Merseyside. It’s easy to understand why; with much of the region being permitted to enter a steady spiral of decline, discussion of the arts often excludes the Wirral, and focuses purely on Liverpool. However, look closer, and you’ll find a community of creatives invested in giving Birkenhead and the Wirral as a whole something to be proud of. Wull are one such outfit.
The five-piece have already achieved some impressive success, with attention from both domestic and international radio, and sold-out headline shows in multiple cities. Whilst their recorded music remains fantastic, it is their live performances that mark them as something truly special. Wull aren’t a band that simply play music; they feel it.
From the opening moments of their set, each member is thoroughly engrossed in the performance, manifesting a compelling, beguiling showcase of pure, high-octane indie rock. There’s a Gallagher-esque confidence to it all that approaches a charismatic arrogance, but never at the expense of being thoroughly likeable.
Ripping through releases from their debut EP, alongside new tracks ‘Overrun’ and ‘Amber’, the band move as a singular organism, demanding nothing from the room yet maintaining a full command of proceedings; they interlinked beyond the level of sharing a stage. Even as their vocalist drops into the audience, delivering vocals as if they’re a spiritual mantra to the sanctity of rock and roll, they remain inexorably linked, the wall of guitars sprawling down into the venue from the stage as blistering percussion cuts through the noise with frenetic energy.
The unreleased tracks are perhaps even better than anything the band have already released. One is packed with a jagged, swinging energy, with the band clearly loving performing the track, ceaselessly moving about the stage. Another is the closing track ‘Mackintosh’, which brings such a raw punk ferocity that their lead guitarist is forced to contend with a snapped guitar string. That doesn’t stop them from bringing the set to a thunderous close, however.
In fact, it’s easy to imagine that nothing will stop Wull. This outfit isn’t just another rock band; they’re a movement, a machine powered by pure belief in the importance of what they do, giving something back to the people of the Wirral and conquering stages all over the country in the process. Undeniably and indisputably one of the finest new indie bands, and a band with a great chance of exploding into your consciousness very soon.
Certainly, having a venue fill up on the arrival of the headline act’s set is not uncommon, but it’s hard to quite put into words the flood of people that seemed to simply spawn from thin air when it became time for alright (okay) to take to the stage. A venue around half full becomes packed to near full capacity within little more than fifteen minutes, buzzing with a real excitement for the set ahead. It’s not hard to understand why; in Liverpool, alright (okay) are a band who you will have heard of, even if you haven’t heard them. Their reputation precedes them.
Things immediately erupt with ferocious hard rock energy, brought forth with a viciously energetic stage presence and spoken word vocals. Their vocalist descends into the crowd, and the audience loves it; part man, part Rottweiler, he eggs the crowd on, whipping them up into a frenzy, before tearing them to shreds with a razor sharp, rock and roll menace. This is how to open a show perfectly.
Rattling through familiar tunes and unreleased bangers, the room is filled with people dancing and cheering, singing along to big singles such as ‘Idle and Motivated’, with it’s breezy melancholy and buoyant, charged indie soundscape. The crowd also lose none of their energy or enthusiasm when new unreleased music is played, such as ‘Scratch My Brain’.
It’s a striking thing to witness, seeing a room of friends and strangers uniting under the banner of living life with good music and no cares; it’s the sort of magical atmosphere that bands can work their entire lives to generate yet never muster. Yet in this tiny remote venue in the middle of nowhere, alright (okay) have managed it.
Even the less aggressive tracks ensnare the audience in a variety of ways; one cut sees the band occupying a space between psychedelia and jam band, with waves of instrumental fun shifting and morphing within the grasp of the listener. Even during a brief interruption thanks to pesky technical issues with the vocal microphone, the band break into an effortlessly cool jazz instrumental. The magic of the experience is made up of brilliant little moments such as this.
A cover of Bloc Party’s ‘Helicopter’ is served up to listeners as a reward for the amount of unreleased music the band have performed, and it goes down a storm with the crowd. Returning to original material, the band deliver one of their most popular tracks, ‘Coffee’, and the new single ‘Boyz Noize’, which is already a favourite of the live set. Whereas dancing had made up most of the night, this is where the moshing finally kicked in, with a bristling rowdiness to both the crowd and the performers.
Closing things off, the band perform an as yet untitled track, which is a stunning, grand number that truly showcases that alright (okay) are more than just rowdy indie rockers; they are talented musicians with a real sense of ambition. Rightfully so, the crowd chant the band’s name as the set comes to a raucous, celebratory close, and it is clear that alright (okay) are far, far more than just what their name states.
With a place in the upcoming Battle of the Bands hosted by @johnsysshots, there’s never been a better time to check out this band. Because there’s a very strong likelihood you’ll be hearing a lot more of them very soon.
Featured photo credit belongs to @florentein.
Keep up to date with Boot Music at their website, and catch SHEFU headline their upcoming Boot Fest at the Future Yard on 29/07/24.
Follow the bands on social media below:
Paint Me In Colour
Instagram // Spotify // Twitter
Wull
Instagram // Spotify // Twitter
alright (okay)
VINYL FANTASY REVIEWS 
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