ELIZA And The Bear brought their tour to Manchester and Academy on Friday (April 15), Quays News entertainment reporter Will Whitby went along…
Six months ago Eliza And The Bear played Academy 3 to about a 60 per cent full room and although the show itself was a brilliant performance from the chirpy indie fivesome it just lacked something. However on their return they changed the game. Those in the crowd bared witness that a band who have vastly matured, gained massive confidence and genuinely are going to hit it big.
Support came from Secret Company and Model Aeroplanes who brought their youthful indie jams with their Scottish twang to the Academy. They had a big The 1975 vibe about them. The crowd singing along to feel good hits like ‘Teenage Dirtbag’ and Busted in between bands and a crowd-wide sing-along to ‘Wonderwall’ made the atmosphere electric.
Eliza And The Bear came out to a cloud of smoke, strobes and screams from the crowd as they played cheery feel good anthem, ‘Light It Up’. It was clear the Friday night Manchester crowd seriously turned up as they sang along – sometimes even louder than the band itself.
The London quintet released their debut self-titled album earlier this month to incredible reviews. Long term fans and the band alike were relieved to finally have an album out to listen to. The album itself is mainly just singles and tracks that had been released in the bands time.
Going through classic and well-loved tracks such as ‘Brothers Boat’, slightly heavier song ‘Talk’ and ‘Lion’s Heart’ the crowd were loving it. Arms flailing, shouting the lyrics and even a mosh pit were in set throughout the evening. Even the album tracks such as heavier rock track, ‘Oxygen’, were well appreciated.
Compared to the last show in November the crowd had vastly improved both in number and diversity. There was a clear faithful number of younger fans that the genre attracts but also more adult fans and listeners of Radio X and Radio 1 – where EATB get played regularly. Lead vocalist, James Kellegher, declaring “there is a lot more of you than last time!”
A strange point came into to the night where keyboardist, Callie Noakes, started a mini-rave with a new setting on his keyboard. A bit of novelty but the crowd only loved it.
Manchester > Magaluf pic.twitter.com/VXN90wxXcF
— Eliza and the Bear (@elizaandthebear) April 16, 2016
With lighters and phone torches up for ballad, Cruel, the intensity and shear talent that vocalist, Kellegher, has shone through. A perfect balance of being youthful, angelic and melodic and with a very talented band to accompany, Eliza And The Bear have a knack of putting a smile on the face of a listener after just one song.
As the crowd chanted the “heyyyy hey baby” chant like they were at a football game the group came out for their encore. Final track of the evening was the opener and lead single to their album, ‘Friends’. The epitome of what Eliza & The Bear can do as a band with anthemic choruses, catchy lyrics and a whole dollop of happy brass to pull it together.
The crowd left into the drizzly Manchester Friday night thoroughly pleased after seeing what can easily be indie pop’s next poster boys.
Eliza and the Bear?? #elizaandthebear #manchester #manchesteracademy #concert #live #love #music
A photo posted by Charlotte (@charlieanne_x) on
The joyous crowd clearly rubbed back off onto the band as even they looked surprised by the intensity of the crowd whilst smiling ear to ear. Later they declared tonight as one of the best shows they’ve ever played.
As a fan who first saw them play a tiny bar in Liverpool Sound City 2012 tonight’s show was genuinely heart-warming. It’s a rarity that some genuine nice guys after not giving up are finally going places and getting the success they deserve.
By Will Whitby
@willywhitby
Stay tuned to quaysnews.net for an interview with vocalist James Kellegher and keyboardist Callie Noakes…
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