The Waterfront Studio is filling up well ahead of opening band All Ears Avow hitting the stage. Clearly the crowd have got the ‘support the support acts’ memo which is great to see. They are rewarded with a bright and breezy set of alt rock that is full of melody. It’s the high level of the song writing that grabs you here, closely followed by the live delivery. This is a statement show by a band very much on the up.
You need to have something special about you to even survive in the music industry at the moment. To thrive as an independent like Millie Manders And The Shutup are doing is nothing short of extraordinary. Tonight we get to see why. Yes, they have the songs, a massive tick there. And also they have ability, bundles of it ooze from every part of the stage. But the big thing that young aspiring artists should pay attention to here is professionalism. It’s in the stagecraft, the before and after show interaction, it’s the band personality. New songs fit seamlessly in with old favourites while progressing the sound and dynamic. This has the feel of a family gathering, a noisy sweaty party and it is so much fun. There has to be a mention to for the sound engineer for doing such a great job too. Tonight is a triumph, it’s an example of hard work, guts and determination paying off for a band that richly deserve every success.
Review and Photos by Gary Trueman