It is always exciting to see an artist you like perform live. Whether on a major album arena tour, or perhaps an intimate club affair, live performances always offer a celebration of what the band have done up creatively up until that point, and act as a community event for listeners to gather and rejoice art. However, if there’s one thing that is more important and more exciting than any of that, it is when a band performs their debut headline show.
For many artists, this will come after years of playing the supporting role, and releasing singles or perhaps EPs, that helps them build not only a following, but a reputation. After bubbling beneath the surface of the Merseyside music scene in different forms for a couple of years, it was now time for Liverpool-based four-piece The Drivers Club to take to the stage as a headline act.
This marks the second time this year that Georgia Johnson’s live performances have been reviewed here, so one thing is immediately clear; Johnson has quite the demand on the local Merseyside circuit. However, whereas previously she had opened up Boot Fest, set on a decently sized outdoor stage, this occasion sees her placed within the intimate environment of the Jacaranda basement; the gap between artist and audience is now non-existent, and in response, Johnson now casts a far more vulnerable yet no less enchanting presence.
Cycling through tracks such as ‘Vienna‘ and ‘The Moon‘, Johnson’s vocals take on a gorgeous rustic charm, truly encapsulating the folk influences that sit at the centre of her art. Johnson informs the audience that she is battling a raging cold, but you would never have guessed that from her vocals; the warmth and resonance that had been present at her Boot Fest performance were still present and accounted for here.
There’s a warm atmosphere to the room that could be likened to a gathering of friends, assisted by Johnson’s approachable and well-humoured nature; informing the audience that ‘The Moon‘ is about being cheated on prompts a panicked interjection of innocence from her boyfriend, which receives many chuckles, whilst her performance of ‘Cold‘ sees her truly playing up for the cameras and the audience, twirling and dancing along to her music in a gentle yet compelling display of confidence.
‘Kitchen Table‘ may have been the highlight of her set, with a gorgeous acoustic opening that unfurls into a genuinely powerful performance by Johnson. However, it also worth commending the backing band that Johnson had brought with her for the show, composed of some genuinely talented musicians that truly bring the folk spirit of Johnson’s artistic vision to life; the bass in particular is a stunning affair, with little frills interjected throughout that add some fantastic melodic warmth and depth to the performance.
Rounding the set off with a performance of the title track of her upcoming EP, ‘Bearhug‘, Johnson has made it clear that she is perfectly capable of adapting to her live surroundings; as opposed to feeling mechanical and formulated, Johnson clearly respects the audience and herself enough to ensure the performance feels unique to the night. With that debut EP releasing later this month, Georgia Johnson may be the next big singer-songwriter to break out of the Merseyside circuit; remember her name, and if she appears on a line-up near you, make sure you check her out.
Continuing with that theme of breaking out of the Merseyside circuit, the second act of the evening was alternative rock four-piece Paint Me In Colour. Similar to Johnson, the band have been reviewed here multiple times, and will be once more in October as part of their nation-wide headlining tour. It will be an incredibly important tour for the band; successfully putting their name out there might well push them towards club-sized venues with bigger bands and more opportunities.
For now, however, the band remain a staple of the local venues of Merseyside, and it’s easy to understand why Paint Me In Colour are so often invited to support shows; between their fantastic musical performances, their bright and welcoming stage presence, and their impressively catchy studio offerings, Paint Me In Colour offer both a recognisable name for people to come and watch, and a way of getting the crowd suitably warmed up and energised for the headline act.
The band’s instrumental, percussion-led opening remains just as electrifying as when first watched, with thumping dance beats playing beneath pre-recorded spoken-word snippets provided by vocalist Olivia Springer; much of the band’s material currently ties into themes of lacking confidence, impostor syndrome, and the pitfalls of being an upcoming musician, and this introduction perfectly sets the tone for this, as Springer speaks of the struggles of even penning music.
From there out, it is another superb performance from Paint Me In Colour. Hitting their big singles such as ‘Pick Me Up‘ and ‘Better Than This‘, the audience are immediately snagged by the band’s magnetic enthusiasm and charm. Many of the best performing bands give the audience the impression that they are an unbreakable collection of friends, and that is exactly how Paint Me In Colour present; banter between bandmembers during tracks cannot help but put a smile on your face, as even if you cannot hear what is being said, you can certainly see the laughter and enjoyment of sharing that stage space.
Part of this is assisted by the stage of the Jacaranda. Whereas, frequently, band members are obscured by the compact spaces of local venues, the set up of the Jacaranda allows you to view all members of a band without any being tucked away in some dark corner. Drummer Sam Pierpoint now being visible, as opposed to being relegated to a void at the back of the stage, is a particularly welcome sight, given their energetic and engaging performing style.
As always, Springer is a phenomenal vocalist who somehow manages to maintain both power and consistency perfectly across the set, despite some of the band’s tracks being incredibly vocally demanding. One of the unreleased tracks always sees Springer instructing the audience to sing-along, and on this occasion, it connects perfectly with this audience, who are more than happy to comply.
It is one of the band’s unreleased tracks that proves to be the highlight of the set. ‘Try‘ exists as the anthemic closing statement to the band’s live performances, featuring the most impressive vocal performance by far, as Springer belts immense choruses that are simply shiver-inducing. It is easy to imagine that the year this track gets released, it will be an easy entry for the top five songs of the year, perhaps even top three.
It is this potential that makes Paint Me In Colour so exciting both on and off stage. The band’s performances are already superb, yet every time you witness them, little things have been tightened and polished, improving it even further. It’s easy to imagine that pattern repeating far into the future, pushing this band further into the consciousness of alternative rock listeners, and onto stages that deserve their ambition and scope.
If you have the opportunity come October, then make sure you set aside one evening to attend their headline tour.
Finally, it was time for the headline act. Some musicians feel primed to explode, if the circumstances line-up just right for them. In Merseyside, Shefu and alright (okay) are two such acts that come to mind immediately, and after this show, The Drivers Club also deserve such a status. Certainly, the band’s studio offerings across the past two years have been incredibly strong, bringing an inspired and electrifying spin to indie rock that pulls in influences from post-punk, britpop, and even dance-rock. But none of that could have prepared me for just how good The Drivers Club are on a live stage.
Blowing the set open with their latest track, the brilliantly raucous ‘Y R U SO LOUD‘, the band immediately bring a wild, energetic atmosphere to the night. There are no frills here; no gimmicks, no grand ideas, no complex artistic statements. Instead, The Drivers Club opt for superbly performed, straight-to-the-point rock, delivered with pure, unapologetic passion, and the audience swallow it right up. It’s as much Queen as it is Talking Heads, as much Arctic Monkeys as it is Yard Act.
Vocalist Adam Johnson is a massive presence on the stage, with deeply impressive and powerful vocals that seem to arise from nowhere. His movements somehow manage to be both erratic yet slick, forcing you to remain squarely focused upon the band’s effortlessly cool performance at times. The banter between members is witty and charming, especially between guitarist Brandon Tew and bassist Liam Brady, who playfully exist as lovers parted to either side of the stage by Johnson.
The energy and charisma of each of the band members is relentless throughout, making even the extensive unreleased material performed feel just as familiar and engaging as the band’s three singles. Some members of the audience even seem to know the lyrics to some of this material, singing along without even being prompted; it is clear that The Drivers Club have quite the committed fanbase. Those aforementioned singles, however, do provide some of the most enjoyable moments of the set, especially as the audience sing along to the breezy nihilistic anthem that is ‘So Fine‘, which manages to sound even better live than on the studio recording.
Encores usually exist as a point of annoyance for me; not only are they planned well in advance, but the audience is expected to act as if they are not, eating into the time it sometimes takes to make a mad scramble for the nearest train station. However, I’m willing to give The Drivers Club a pass in this instance, due to the genuinely witty and self-aware way in which they managed it. The audience were informed that the set was definitely over, and that they definitely should not try to call them back to the stage, as they very slowly left. If there is one thing I respect more than no encore, it is committing to the bit of how daft planned encores are.
On top of that, the audience were not only gifted with a performance of the band’s electrifying debut single ‘Lost In Your Mind (Psychokiller)‘, but a cover of ‘The Chain‘ by Fleetwood Mac, that, dare I say, might be just as good as the original. The pure glee on Brady’s face of hitting that infamous bass lick is the kind of joy that one could spend their entire life never having experienced. It is a superb choice of closing statement for the band’s debut headline show, and ends the night on a note that may have only been topped by performing ‘The Chain‘ again.
Part of the legendary history of the Jacaranda is the first performance of The Beatles under that name. On this night, the venue played host to the first headline performance of The Drivers Club under that name. Looking at that near parallel, it’s hard not to imagine that the celebratory atmosphere conjured up by The Drivers Club might have been similar to that of those seeing The Beatles; a four-piece rock band that were destined to explode.
Is that a bold statement? Certainly. But when you have witnessed The Drivers Club, you too will find yourself unable to shake the experience they provide. A very special band indeed.
Follow the artists on social media via the links below:
Georgia Johnson
Instagram // Spotify
Paint Me In Colour
Instagram // Spotify
The Drivers Club
Instagram // Spotify
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