Tonight Tut’s offers a little dose of excellency with their headliners; the place is crowded with all sorts of people, from older music lovers to young passionate trying to sneak their way up the stairs in an overheated room where the speakers are already bursting out eardrums.
While the drinks are flowing, it is interesting to see how much the crowd does not seem to know anything about the headliners.
Not even that they have been signed to Serpents And Snakes (Kings of Leon’s label) and that they have been opening most of the Followill family’s UK arena shows.
The boys are safely but surely making their way out of their hometown of Jackson, Mississippi one step at the time.
“See them tonight before they become massive. It’s going to happen” was written at the bottom of the flyer introducing tonight’s festivities at the entrance of the venue.
The band is a musical UFO, their refreshing sludge pop infused with good old rock ‘n’ roll combined with their unique sense of performance that oozes with talent and honesty.
Musically speaking the band is very loud, the rhythm section is incredible; bassist, Damien Bone, and drummer, Cain Barnes, sound like they have been playing together for years and for sure they have since they all grew up in the same neighbourhood bonding for life on a human and musical level.
The boys seem surprised by the crowd that have gathered and while Cain apologises to his fellow bandmates before going to the bathroom after performing three songs, singer Cyle Barnes contains his excitement while expressing: “This place is fucking cool and we’re really happy to be here tonight with you guys, it’s our first time here!” in a deep fried southern twang.
The band’s energy pervades the venue, acting on the crowd like an elixir of happiness.
From ‘The House We Grew Up In’ to ‘Buttons’, the band perform an extensive set of tracks from their debut Comeback Cadillac to brand new album Dear Bo Jackson.
After expressing their gratitude to the clapping crowd and making their way off the stage, they reappear for an encore of ‘Mississippi Rain’.
The organisers for tonight’s show are right, they will become massive and all the lucky people tonight will cherish this memory where energy and generosity were mixed with application and talent.
The result is an explosive cocktail, but as Cyle sings early on: “Oh oh, let the band play […] they can’t stop us, they can’t stop us, they can’t stop us now”.
The band is set on the right tracks for bigger, much bigger things so keep your eyes peeled music lovers!
Words: Jeremy Veyret
Photos: Gordon Ballantyne
