It’s the opening night of new Norwich festival Wild Paths, based across multiple music venues and including both emerging and established artists. The recently re-opened Voodoo Daddy’s Showroom, formerly known as Bermuda Bob’s, plays host to three different local bands.
The three members of Front Bangs opening the show.
Photo: Frances Butler
Three-piece outfit Front Bangs, comprising of vocalist and guitarist Bradley Brown, bassist Richard Cully and drummer Alex Kennett, are tasked with not only opening the show, but also opening the festival – and do so in style, all clad in patterned shirts and sunglasses. Despite several sound issues they succeed in starting off the first dancing of the night. Sporting influences from grunge to blues they build a good relationship with the crowd through their lively performance. New song ‘Milson’s Theme’ is well received, with Bradley drawing attention to recent release of their accompanying music video, which involves them wearing cycle helmets and terrorizing petrol station staff.
Bag of Cans bring their unique brand of humorous lyrics to the stage.
Photo: Frances Butler
DIY jokers Bag Of Cans begin their show with vocalist and trumpet player George Baker hawking their newly-made badges to the crowd, whilst dressed in a boiler suit. Although their performance is hampered by a broken string on George Bryce’s guitar, Bradley of Front Bangs loans his own as a replacement: the rest of the band (guitarist Tom McGhie, bassist Sam Watts and drummer Joe Wilson) play Queen’s ‘Another One Bites the Dust’ in an appropriately humoured tribute. From opener ‘Clean as a Whistle’ to the staple ‘bag solo’ from the band’s mascot – a literal bag of cans, affectionately named “Baggy” – the band puts on an energetic show, responded to enthusiastically by fans, friends and strangers alike.
Millie Manders and Dom Walker display their skill with the saxophone.
Photo: Frances Butler
Headliners Millie Manders and the Shutup explode onto the stage. Their mix of punk and ska influences instantly gets the audience moving, with ‘You’re So Pretty’ serving as an example of their passionate performance. Millie herself comes across as a modern day Lily Allen, but punk – and with a saxophone. Her fierce attitude and expressive style is strongly responded to by the audience, which also includes her mother and sister. The diversity of her vocals and the band’s songs as a whole – performed enthusiastically by guitarist James Pendle, saxophone player Dom Walker, drummer Alessandro Vitello and bassist Georgina Boreham – becomes apparent with songs such as ‘Little Big Mouth’, featuring a ukelele, and the politically charged ‘Lollipops’, focusing on the impact of war on young children. Millie makes a powerful statement when introducing new song ‘Silent Screams’, encouraging others to speak up about mental health issues and open up to those around them. They end the night with an animated rendition of ‘The One That Got Away’, cementing their status as a band to watch out for.
Millie and the band draw the crowd’s attention with their distinct performance.
Photo: Frances Butler
Front Bangs are due to play at Norwich Arts Centre on December 17th; Bag of Cans will be performing at the Waterfront Studio on February 21st; and you can catch Millie Manders and the Shutup at their album release show in April, at OPEN Norwich.
More information about Wild Paths festival can be found here.
You can find out more about each band below:
Front Bangs: https://www.facebook.com/FrontBangs.Music/
Bag of Cans: https://www.facebook.com/BagOfCansBand/
Millie Manders and the Shutup: https://www.facebook.com/milliemandersmusic/
Frances Butler
Frances' News in Norwich 