Project Description

ST. BRIDE

+ Chinese New Year + Strangway

@ JIVE (Live Review)

06/07/18

Reviewer: Leah Lovegrove

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St. Bride

Photo by Bairdysphotos

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It was evident after their captivating and raw live debut at Jive, St. Bride had set the bar high as they rocked out in front of a crowded room of fresh new fans.

The upcoming Adelaide rock trio, inspired by the likes of alternative rock giants such as Muse, Royal Blood and Nothing But Thieves, took to the stage for the first time behind the release of their first single ‘Say Something’ in late March.

5-piece funky groovers Strangway kicked off the night with their psychedelic and jazzy house vibes. The smooth synths and groovy bass lines had the audience on their feet, accompanied with some dance moves that could be deemed funkier than the music itself, leaving a large percentage of drinks on the floor rather than in their respective glasses.

Chinese New Year were next on the bill, performing old and new tunes off their freshly released EP ‘Dog Days’. The guitarists shared the role of lead singer, each with unique vocal tones which created a diverse set. Dancers continued to revel into the night to the surf jazz rock fusion.

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ST. BRIDE

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As St. Bride stepped onto the stage the crowd easily filled the room, eager to hear what the band had to offer. Frontman Rhys Williams on vocals and guitar, bassist Anthony Ciccarello and drummer Michael Clarke were styled to impressed in their casual yet neat attire and blew the crowd away from the first note. The intense sound that was emanating from the three musicians infected the minds of the the crowd and St. Bride alike as head nodding, and in some cases, head banging ensued.

The distorted heavy riffage of the guitar and bass partnered with the hard hitting drums was a welcoming change from the smooth-groove music from the supports. It was like a refreshing splash of cold water to the face. Rocking out to ‘Say Something’, the band then plunged deep into original unheard material with ‘You Never’. There was a brief interlude as the band changed up their instrumentation. Now on the keys, multi-talented Rhys demonstrated his dexterity on ‘Blind Faith’. The progressive rock track displayed the chemistry between the three members as they jammed away.

Taking it down a notch the band conveyed their emotional vulnerability with the five minute piece ‘Stop Holding On’. This raw and stripped down piece had the crowd hanging off of every word as Rhys’ vocals softly poured out. With a piano solo, heartfelt instrumental and a hypnotising outro accompanied with some high hard hitting vocals, this drew out a hefty and well-deserved applause.

Changing it up with a cover of The Preset’s ‘Do What You Want’, the band recreated the song with a playful hard rock vibe and all three members multitasking on vocals and their respective instruments. This was followed up by another cover of Muse’s ‘Hyper Music’. Anthony and Michael brought intense energy to the cover, head banging as Rhys thrashed his voice with some solid screams.

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ST. BRIDE

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After thanking the crowd, St. Bride ended with another high energy piece ‘Euphobia’. This fast paced song was made for arenas and crowds that were built to mosh. The crowd grooved away as the piece drew out some heavy rock instrumental jammy goodness. With a few minor errors with the equipment, the band stayed tightly composed and finished on a Silverchair riff ‘One Way Mule’. Presented with a few more onstage issues, the band pushed through and ended on a high note, receiving a roaring applause and a few shouts for a possible encore.

With just three members, the band’s grand sound could be compared to the likes of Muse and Coldplay; their alt-rock sound fused with an undertone of alternative metal, also citing sounds of Rage Against The Machine. St. Bride’s debut performance really showcased their potential to be the next big alternative rock band. Their ability to work the stage and their presence is something out of this world for a fresh band to the live music scene. I won’t be surprised to see them selling out tours and playing some larger venues a few years from now; they are worth keeping a keen eye on.

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ST. BRIDE

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AMNPLIFY – DB