By Carly Synnøve, Third Year Law
As I walked into the main stage of Exchange, an ‘I <3 FEET’ banner was visible strewn over the backdrop of the stage. With two talented supporting bands, they set themselves up for a good night.
I caught the end of first act Emerson, an indie rock four piece boyband. They were very of-the-genre; smooth three line vocal harmonies and guitar features opened the evening with an appropriate tone.
My freshly-acquired pint of orange juice (‘just making sure you actually ordered a pint of orange juice’) went well with the second band, ugly ozo. This consisted of vocalist Jessica Barker (wielding an olive green guitar); her sister Boo (with a pale blue be-ribonned bass); and drummer Tristan Northard. Barker explained the songs were about subjects such as ‘fear of men’, ‘having a crush’, and ‘her sister’: quite personal themes. Love seemed to be a lyrical motif. Instrumental domination blended with almost muted vocals, riot grrrl and shoegaze elements, as well as grunge energy. I really enjoyed them and shall be adding their new EP jackpot to my library.
I decided to stay in the main room to try to safeguard my place nearer the front in the 30 minute changeover. I got chatting to this guy who had first seen FEET supporting Honeyblood way back in 2019, who informed me they had all met at Coventry University and had also apparently played on Soccer FM some years ago (not sure why they’d do this?).
Pretty soon the band themselves came on stage, greeted with appreciative applause. There seemed to be some kind of strange miscommunication over the location of an (on stage) tambourine, which left frontman George Haverson missing for a long introduction to first song ‘Changing My Mind Again’, and seemingly unplanned emerging through the crowd from the back of the room.
Thrusting said tambourine into the adoring crowd for second song ‘Real Thing’, Haverson brought exuberant energy and confidence to the gig. Surrounded by a strangely clad mix of bandmates - Haverson himself looking as if he’d just finished a 9-5 in a shirt/tie/chinos combo; drummer Ben Firth in a brat green Adidas trackie (very Gallagher-esque); guitarist Harry Southerton (looking like a local librarian); other guitarist Callum Parker (in an outfit that wouldn’t be found amiss on an Ibiza holiday); and Bassist Oliver Shasha (in a red striped jumper reminiscent of Dennis the Menace).
This incohesive visual identity felt suitable for such an eclectic musicality, and ‘Planet Blue’ and ‘Good Richard’s Crash Landing’ landed well to a crowd warming up to the atmosphere.
Live, the band turned ‘Why Would I Lie’ into even more of a ballad, slower than recorded, with stripped back instrumentals; greeted with arms a-swaying, and metaphorical lighters raised. This was followed by ‘Dog Walking’, my personal recent favorite. I must admit taking (questionable quality) photos on my phone and jotting a few notes mid-gig for this article felt very strange, as (rather nicely) the audience were not really recording everything happening, making for an intimate feel.
Next up, fan favorite ‘Greasy Boy’ from album Make It Up was met with rapture, and much hand pointing from Haverson to audience members. Unreleased track ‘Odessa’ came up next, perhaps from their upcoming album coming out late this year or possibly early next year.
I must admit, from ‘Ad Blue’, through ‘Petty Thieving’, and ‘Slowly’, I was immersed in the newly formed mosh pit and did not pay much attention to thinking about the gig. This alludes to the energy present in the room, and the excitement of all present. I tuned in again briefly for ‘English Weather’, where Haverson did some (what could be described as) parkour on the edge of the stage before falling backwards into the crowd to surf.
Finishing with ‘Chalet 47’ and quite a sweaty audience, FEET left a great mark on the Bristol scene. Overall, a fab band to see live, with vivacious melodies, a quirky sound, and whimsical lyrics.
Louis O’Sullivan
The boys came out to sign merch, and I (lingering until the deluge had subsided) managed to ask a few of them what their favorite of their lyrics were. I got ‘Hot dog/In a hot bun world’ (from ‘What’s Inside Is More Than Just Ham’) and alternatively, ‘ham ham ham ham ham…’ Deep…
I thanked them for a great show, and walked back to my flat, gradually donning my jumper and jacket as I cooled down outside.
Featured image: Epigram / Carly SynnøveDo you like FEET?
