Wargasm, Clt Drp and Harpy
Rock City, Nottingham – 9/11/2023
Expectations versus reality can go in all sorts of directions. Take Harpy for instance. Opening a pretty stellar line up and with that moniker you might expect plenty of screeching and thrashing. What we get is far more cerebral. With a goth pop music background Harpy herself has a voice that melts the heart. Touches of etherealness give way to well defined power. The songs flow, the atmosphere is spellbinding and the impression created is memorable. Tonight you get the feeling you are in the presence of potential greatness.
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Clt Drp aren’t following any conventions at all. The drums play around with all kinds of clever timings. The guitar is a thing of wonder providing a whole soundscape through a tech head’s wet dream of a pedal board. And then there is Annie on vocals, a genuine force of nature who simply inspires in so many ways. There’s real passion in the way she spits out the lyrics. Audience engagement is 11 out of 10 and this modern day riot grrrl oozes confidence. Clt Drp are a band musicians will be drawn to because of their writing. Fans love them because they connect so well.
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It’s been a quite breath taking first few years for Wargasm. They’ve built their name on frenetic live shows that leave you a sweaty exhausted heap, and that’s just watching from the (relative) safety of the bar. They’ve taken nu-metal and 90s dance and turned it into a Prodigy like missile of music that explodes in your head. The recent release of debut album ‘Venom’ has given the duo of Sam Matlock and Milkie Way some serious bangers too. ‘Bang Your Head’ and ‘Do It So Good’ have that catchy quality that have you singing along with your headphones on and cause audiences to erupt played live. They are fast at evolving too. The stage craft tonight is noticeably slicker than a couple of years back. Way’s vocals have matured immeasurably too. So much so she has the crowd cooing in appreciation at times. Tonight Wargasm are a band in full flight, soaring high into the Rock City rafters. They are exactly what alternative music needs. They are quite simply – magnificent.
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Review and photos by Gary Trueman