By Joseph Morrison, Third Year Philosophy and Theology
The New Cut exceeded all expectations at the launch of their brand new single ‘The Family Business’.
The Louisiana has always championed up-and-coming artists. Since 1996, the 140-capacity venue has hosted bands such as Muse, Coldplay, and Florence + The Machine; all of whom were in their infancy at the time of their visit. Therefore, when I heard that the New Cut had pre-sold over 80 tickets, despite only releasing their debut single a few days prior, I was eager to get down there and see what they were all about.
The first support of the night Kudos, a four-piece alternative rock band, set the energy high. Right from the start, it was evident why the venue is so celebrated. The sheer noise manufactured by the sound engineers situated at the back of the room was exceptional. The modest size of the room meant that the lead singer Tom Bettle, donning the distinctive orange boiler suit and sunglasses, was able to show off his dominant vocal range. This particularly showed in their second song of the night ‘Close Those Blinds’, in which, he impressed vocally, as well as the band impressing during the instrumental of this song. Overall, a great opener for a great night.
The second act Hunny Buzz, a four-piece indie-pop band, were equally as impressive. Whilst being a much more chilled vibe than Kudos, they gave a very elegant performance. The second song, ‘Felicity’, was superb. The cover of ‘My Lover Cindy’, originally by Marika Hackman, was great and, in many parts, better than the original. Guitarist Rowan was particularly impressive; due to the style of the songs, he ultimately commanded each track. As for the last song, ‘Short Black Skirt’, I’ve had the chorus stuck in my head all week - brilliant set.
With the crowd ready for The New Cut, right from the off, it was very evident that frontman Henry was a natural. This confidence was exemplified by him, not 20 minutes before the start of his own set, having a pint in the crowd watching Hunny Buzz. The anticipation for ‘The Family Business’ was clear to see and whilst songs such as the brilliant named track ‘Steven Gerrard is my dad’ were superb, it was the performance of their new single that really stole the show. The energy of the crowd was excellent during its rendition and showed off everything that makes them so great. Drummer Morgan dominated the pace of the song and the showmanship from frontman Henry to harness the crowd’s energy and control it has got me excited to see The New Cut perform live again. Definitely a must-see band if you love live music.
Review: Clusterfunk @ Bristol Beacon
Review: Fenne Lily @ Thekla
Every person who goes to a New Cut gig will appreciate the energy they bring to a concert. The arrogance, not so much so that it’s obnoxious but simply shows assurance in how good they are, is great to see. The New Cut have all it takes to be very successful in Bristol and perhaps even beyond. But, after all, they’re not here to make a profit.
Featured image: Joseph Morrison
Have you heard The New Cut's latest single?
