A View From The Back Of The Room: Ingénue EP Launch (Live Review By Mark Young)

Ingénue Recreational Monachopsis EP Launch, The Peer Hat, Manchester 07.07.24

And here we are in Manchester, no rain and slightly balmy weather which is nice so obviously I've hexed it for later once the gig wraps up. Getting here early means I can hear soundcheck downstairs, the place is thumping ahead of doors opening at 7. The last time I was here, there was a real spread of styles and looking at some of the band bio’s I think this is assured.

Onion Mash (7) are first up and are playing an instrumental set due to vocalist Rachel's absence which we hope isn't serious. It will be an interesting test to see how their music translates here without her. Making a tongue-in-cheek apology they launch into We’re Not Twelve Anymore and tear through it whilst showing that they will do the best that they can do under the circumstances. Dangerously Close To Each Other is heavy stomper and despite the missing vocals, they drop a one-two that opens the evening with a blast. 

Lonely between 2, with its 70s rock swagger, bass punching through from Peter into One Minute More, immediate with some royal double bass, it's a ripper with a punk/classic rock feel and they keep this energy going, even when they are giving shout outs to the other bands on tonight. Killdozer is next which was released as a single recently. Its Tight and they sound great as they tear through it with an energy that is exactly what you want from the opening band. Legal Slaves is their last song and comes in swinging and they drop a little Pantera to close their set. Did they miss Rach? Naturally but you can't fault their commitment to going on without her tonight.

Dr Savage (8) is the first of two bands I haven't seen before. A 4-piece that is headed up by funkateer in chief Jeremy Lindemann (lead vocals and guitar), aided and abetted in this quest for funk by Liam Gambles (rhythm guitar/bv), Tom Swales (drums/bv) and Chris Norris (bass/bv) who come and just lay a funk-rock smack down of epic proportions within their allotted 30mins. They launch straight into That's What I'm Gonna Do, and It is a funk number where Chris shows what he is all about with a command of the instrument that is amazing. It is a storming opener and a statement of intent of what they are about to bring. 

Hot on its heels is the Wah soaked Before The Dawn, leaning heavily into that Black Crowes territory, it's rock that carries you along with it, grabbing you and taking you on a journey with it. Full of those mint chord progressions and they have dropped two for two with the crowd now fully onboard. Eternal Sunshine changes the tack a little whilst still maintaining a cracking build to it. It’s the confidence they have in delivering their material, even in the way Jeremy works the audience which I reckon would be the same if they were at the AO Arena. 

Blowing My Mind is boogie time, It's got a chorus that is taking cues from 70s rock and funk. Funky Bug, which is their next single (due for release on the 26th of July) dips into that same pool, with guitar lines built for dancing and an arrangement that gets you moving. Blink Of An Eye closes out their set and it’s an incredibly well-received set and rightly so. It’s great to hear that they have looked further afield for influence and in doing so they got themselves a unique sound.

Swamp Chicken (8) are next up and are straight into it with Kung Fu Kitty, a belter of a riff that sees the wah getting some hammer tonight. This is tight and focused with Jayne Potter giving a commanding performance on vocal duties. Its captivating stuff as they run into Bleak next, with a flow and groove to it and has a distinctive DNA, where the bass (Normal bass player Tom Dunphy had suffered an injury and they managed to draft a stand in so take a bow Kristian Houghten who stepped up) is doing the driving and keeping the song moving. With just two songs in, they show a wide spread of ideas that promise a lot for later. Hard Hat brings a percussive note and there's a real efficiency at play here, no fat just pure confidence in their songs, their build. In the middle is a lead break that is atypical but perfect for this. 

Bliss (Pizza Song) is slowed down ode to spherical cheese delights. I love when bands do this, that bass again is infectious, allowing the guitar to throw in melodic flourishes and fill that sound further as the understated James Ellingworth just does his thing. Amour which allows Jayne to show her power and she delivers on this. It's built around her, the arrangement rising around her, she doesn't get lost within it. Again, they give props to the other bands and stand in Kristian, which is always good to see. Their new single, Maxime (due out 19/07) is different again, and is a big song. Huge chorus, constant forward motion and there is a noticeable step up between this and the songs before. Last song was their first single Shapeshifter the funk is back once last time, and it shows that the quality was there right from the start. Not a party band like Dr Savage, but they bring their own vibe here and they come out with honours even.

Then onto Ingénue (9) to launch their new EP as the headline for tonight. We had the pleasure of reviewing the EP and gave it a 7 and is definitely worth your time. I did feel that it didn’t capture their live energy, but this will undoubtably come with future releases. Live they know how to deliver. Rather than describe every song they play, there is a definite change from when I caught them last. 

Tonight, it's an assured performance, with everyone on point executing their jobs superbly. Lexie (bass) and Phil (drums) are leading the line, providing the base from which the twin guitar force of Tom and Danny to go out and melt faces or provide sweet melodies at the flick of a switch. Put Charlotte on top of this, with that vocal delivery that makes the words hang in the air, and there is an outfit that is growing, continually moulding itself and not staying still. They know how to do it live and It's that ability to keep the audience in the palm of their collective hands as they run through their set, taking in so many different flavours that they have something for everyone. This growth is almost tangible, I caught them live last year and they played an energetic show that showcased everything they had written at that point. 

Wisely, they don’t do that tonight, but the set shows how varied their music is, especially the new EP which goes down very well live. I mentioned that assured performance, I should also mention the confidence they have, in their ability and in the music, they have written, and this is prominent in how they do it live. There is a genuine love of playing live that can’t be faked and it comes out in their performance. They surely are destined for bigger and brighter things, and you should check them out as soon as you can. 

What is good is that the floor is full, everyone who is here have seen 4 great bands that offer something different and an audience that is here for it which is always a massive positive. Good gigs are out there, you just have to take a chance on them. Tonight, was one of those gigs.