REVIEW: Band Of Skulls at Sound City, Liverpool

BAND Of Skulls performed on The Atlantic Stage at Sound City, Liverpool on Saturday (May 28). Quays News entertainment reporter Natalie Rees went to watch them…

AS the sun went down on the first day of Sound City, the Atlantic Stage welcomed Southampton’s Band Of Skulls. The band, who’s highly anticipated fourth album ‘By Default’ was released on Friday, brought their take on gritty indie rock to Liverpool.

“We’re the Band of Skulls, it’s great to be here!”

At 19.45, the three-piece (Matt Hayward – drums, Emma Richardson – bass and Russel Marsden – vocals/guitar) kicked off their set of both older and more recent releases in front of the historic Docker’s Clock, an iconic nod to the former life of the city’s docks.

https://twitter.com/lottieg182/status/736872715769028608

The crowd, with beers in hand, were treated to ‘I Know What I Am as the sun was going down’, before Marsden announced “this is our first festival set this year and we’re so glad we could spend it with you.”

The muse of heavy indie bluesy rock riffs and garage drum beats echoed between the waters with a flurry of flashing black and white lights darting at the crowd below, who were now dancing along to the band’s sounds.

This is a brand new song, let’s see if you can really dance!”

‘So Good’, which premiered on Radio X back in April, came before the more upbeat ‘Himalayan’, the title track of their third album, released in March 2014.

Marsden introduced ‘Bodies’ as their next single, which was written in their local church in Southampton along with other tracks from their most recent release. Favourite ‘The Devil Takes Care Of His Own’ followed, the stand out record from ‘Sweet Sour’ and one which saw Marsden standing on one of the amps, fulfilling the rockstar role.

The infectious beats continued through ‘Hoochie Coochie’, before the rapturous guitar solo from Marsden to kick off ‘Light Of The Morning’.

.@bandofskulls are absolutely smashing it right now! ✌?️ pic.twitter.com/n42cXKaj8T

— Liverpool Sound City (@SoundCity) May 28, 2016

After ‘Death By Diamonds and Pearls’ taken from their debut album ‘Baby Darling Doll Face Honey’, came ‘Killer’, before the set finished with ‘Asleep At The Wheel’, which saw Marsden throwing his guitar in the air and the drum sticks sent flying into the crowd.

“Sound City you’ve been awesome!”

By Natalie Rees
@quaysnat