One sign of a good show is a bustling atmosphere long before anyone has taken the stage. You can tell the performers want to be there, intermingling with one another and chatting with various attendees. For those performing at Big Condo Records’ Bandzilla 16 event, this was certainly the case, having arrived from all over the country to show Liverpool what they had to offer.
Unfortunately, whilst Last Case Scenario were scheduled to perform, the whims of the UK public transport system had left half of the band stranded in Darlington, and therefore unable to perform. Furthermore, whilst Big Condo Records’ Charlie Ekins was due to perform, she was unable to attend on the night. Regardless, what remained was an evening packed with a variety of talented acts from all over the musical spectrum.
The first act to take to the stage was Archways, a London-based outfit that have been hard at work crafting a reputation of a breakthrough indie band with a cinematic flair. This performance marked their first time in Liverpool as Archways, yet despite being so far from their hometown, the band clearly had brought solid crowd support; there was a distinct eagerness to see the band perform.
Archways present with a jangly, dreamy heartland rock sound, packed with spirited vocals and buoyant bass lines. There’s a real, solid chemistry present within the band, as each member plays their role perfectly without overstepping musical boundaries. One number offers hazy keys and acoustics, with a great bass performance during the bridge, whilst another places the focus squarely on the keys, draping them over a marching percussive rhythm.
Swaggering, bouncing grooves snag the audience with the band mastering a decidedly bluesy vibe. There is something charming and instantly likeable about this band, and between the compelling vocal performance and intricate yet accessible instrumentals, the cinematic ambitions of this band truly shine. With some polish, there could be a truly special indie band here, and it is easy to imagine a full-length being something truly magical; their understanding that music can be a powerful world-building tool resonates deeply.
The band even manage to squeeze in one more song at the end of the set, following the crowd’s insistence. They offer upbeat dream pop goodness, as percussion rattles beneath driving guitars and soaring vocals. It made for a delightful and wonderfully confident closing statement, ensuring that Archways, despite opening the night, remained firmly in mind.
The second band of the night, Sea Breeze, heralded from Manchester, and brought with them an electrifying and accessible take on psychedelic rock. This three-piece placed full emphasis on the groove and energy of their performances, rather than becoming bogged down with overblown theatrics and frankly boring showboating.
That isn’t to say that Sea Breeze’s performance was simplistic; the blues backbone of the band’s sound was draped with plenty of impressively complex and tightly performed moments. The vocals are minimal, but when a musician is able to make a bass guitar sing like Sea Breeze can, vocals become wholly unnecessary.
The crowd are thoroughly invested, and big cheers arise after each performance. A reggae influenced number allows the guitar work to really shine, while a more straightforward hard rock cut sees a blistering percussive line pummel the audience with double kick rhythms. It’s a wonderful amount of variety, yet the band are careful to never stray too far from their psych roots.
Sea Breeze perform with a real rock spirit, with performances that are substantial and impressive, avoiding excessive showboating and exuding a genuinely likeable energy. For those who like psychedelic rock, they make for an unmissable addition to the musical scene.
Heralding all the way from Aberdeen, Pitnamoon have only been around since late 2022, but already to seem to have gained quite the following. Sold-out shows in their home country mark them out as an indie outfit ready to break out of their local scene, and shows such as this may well pave the way for this.
Immediately, the band present with a swaggering bluesy sound, accompanied by impressive vocals that juggle both pure melodic talent and playful character. The Scottish lilt is a particular delight to behold, lending a real charm to it all. They follow their opener with ‘Paddling Pool’, which possesses a sunny, nostalgic sound thanks to the jangling guitars and danceable rhythms.
The band have a playful stage presence, and are unafraid of engaging with the audience; a polite request is made to follow them on Instagram, followed by the addendum that this should only be done if you work in music. The crowd are clearly invested, with plenty of gentle dancing as the band perform.
‘Tired Eyes’ plays a luscious, rich guitar performance over a gorgeous waltzing rhythm. ‘Umbrellas’ brings the funk with bouncing rhythms and jagged guitars, whilst ‘Stay Away’ is a groovy, uptempo number with an infectious, danceable energy. Vocals alternate between the bassist and lead guitarist, adding some pleasant variety and changing the band’s sound in interesting ways.
The band close off their set with the scrappy indie banger ‘Oops I Punched Him In The Face’, which gets the audience really moving. Pitnamoon have a real sense of promise about them, offering a sound that feels distinctive yet relevant, and a live set that packs in plenty to enjoy. Don’t be surprised if your favourite indie band takes them on tour.
The fantastically named That Thing On Your Doorstep offered the penultimate set of the night, bringing some Southport ska-punk to proceedings. The spike in energy both on and off the stage is immediate, with a clear solid following in the crowd. It’s loud, punchy, and undeniably fun, even to ska sceptics such as myself.
Finger puppet dinosaurs are handed out before the band launch into a song about how plastic dinosaurs have the blood of their ancestors running through them. Dual vocals offer both swaggering melodies and punkish shouts, truly putting the punk back into ska-punk, and playing perfectly into the absurdist nature of their sound. Another track plays twelve bar blues over a jiving rhythm, which the audience cannot help but dance along to.
A cover of System Of A Down’s ‘Toxicity‘ takes the energy in the room and elevates it through the ceiling. Not content with doing a mere cover, the band truly make it their own with their invigorating sound, and when a saxophonist arrives on the stage, you could almost mistake the track for a TTOYD original. The electricity in the room sees the bassist nearly taking off into orbit, leaping about whilst managing to slap out undeniably brilliant grooves.
Original number ‘Creepy Weirdos‘ is received just as warmly as any cover song, with the saxophonist now doing laps of the room and weaving in-between revellers; how TTOYD managed to turn the tiny basement venue of the Shipping Forecast into a pure party is a testament to their talent as musicians and their brilliance as performances. Their greatest stroke of genius, however, is their inclusion of an electrifying cover of ‘Freed From Desire‘ as a closing number; this eurodance classic suited their sound and energy perfectly, and cemented them in the minds of everybody in that room. It is the sort of performance that you talk to your mates about, before dragging them along to see the band perform again.
That Thing On Your Doorstep are not only the most exciting thing to happen to Southport in years, but a welcome and vital addition to the Merseyside music scene. There is nobody else approaching ska-punk, or even ska, quite like they are, taking a genre that had been mostly consigned to the past, and reinvigorating it in tasteful ways for a modern, youthful audience. Take whatever conceptions you may have about ska, and get ready to throw them in the bin; That Thing On Your Doorstep are here to kick ass and sing about dinosaurs.
The evening’s headliner, Frida Solveig, heralds from the south east of England, although now is based in Liverpool. Despite being a musician at the very start of her journey, she’s already made quite the splash, with her latest single hitting over 50,000 streams on Spotify; music should never be about the numbers, but for a grassroots artist, this is an undeniably impressive feat.
Her set commences with a throwback jitterbug sound, with gorgeous, playful harmonies provided by her talented backing ensemble. Solveig makes an immediate impact on stage, with an intense, entertaining presence, a powerful voice, and a wonderfully spirited vocal delivery.
Solveig slows things down with a soulful ballad, featuring a glittering keys lead melody, and a dreamy guitar solo. The vocals are effortless as they vault through her impressive range, never losing power or charm. Solveig prides herself on her ‘over-emotional’ reputation, and that can truly be felt as she brings the character of her music to life.
This facet is particularly the case when she performs ‘Meet Me In My Dreams’, which sees her not only take on the role of singer, but also storyteller. A dreamy intro flows perfectly into a swinging bluesy second half, as she truly lives and expresses the bitter memories of love,
Whilst Solveig makes for a wonderful leading lady, it would be amiss to not mention that every musician in her backing band shows glorious talent. The pianos glitter with a nostalgic beauty, whilst the percussion rolls through gloriously fun rhythms that keep things wonderfully engaging. The backing harmonies are filled with a whimsical beauty, and guitars ooze with a cinematic sparkle.
Solveig shines with a distinct energy that comes from a pure love for her craft. You cannot help but smile when watching her, because you are transported deep within her world; the greys of the real are replaced with shimmering gold. A gorgeous acoustic ballad in the back half of the set is perhaps the pinnacle example of this, with Solveig enchanting the audience with only simple musical ingredients.
Solveig clearly understands how to work an audience as well, bringing her set to a close with a brilliant fun cover of ‘Forget You’. It offers not only a wonderful close to her set, but a brilliant way of bringing the entire event to close, giving it a celebratory send-off that gets the crowd moving.
Frida Solveig is a name that may well be in lights before you know it; there is a sparkling star quality that she possesses, and a genuine love for her own craft. It is unsurprising that Big Condo selected her as the headline act; this is a record label with a passion for the next big thing, and with a line-up like this, they may have found it.
Follow the artists on social media below:
Archways
Sea Breeze
Pitnamoon
That Thing On Your Doorstep
Frida Solveig
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