The Verse’s Zoe Toland reviews The Amazons at Brighton’s Patterns, on Friday 17th March 2017
Reading four-piece The Amazons headlined at Brighton’s Patterns on St Patrick’s Day Friday, taking the city by storm. Just as they have the new music scene. Produced by Tom Dalgety (Royal Blood, The Maccabees) the band made their first appearance with single Stay With Me, after signing to renowned indie label Fiction Records.
Forming in 2014, The Amazons worked late night shifts at supermarkets to fund their music, whilst also producing early records such as: Junk Food Forever and Something In The Water. Advocated by BBC Music Introducing, they secured a place on the Introducing Stage at Reading and Leads 2015. Since signing to Fiction Records they have been hitting the road in true new music style.
Enter, Brighton’s Patterns. For anyone who has been to this venue before you will understand the all black, low-ceiling, intimate, basement-type vibe it has to offer. Relatively small in size, the place was packed quickly. Being skin to skin with absolute strangers on your left, right, and centre is an oddly liberating situation, seemingly only permitted by the music scene. And throughout the room the buzz of excitement was evident as the anticipant crowd eyed the stage wildly. The first entrant was Dublin-based, Otherkin. Perfect considering it was Paddy’s Day. They broke the silence and the act-audience barrier all within the first couple of minutes. Kicking off the party-like atmosphere that spread infectiously around the room.
After a not-too-teasingly long wait, The Amazons infiltrated the stage to a very excited audience. Lead singer, Matt, wearing an Otherkin t-shirt, also showed an immediate display of camaraderie. Which enhanced the already rampant atmosphere. They opened with single Stay With Me, and the audience instantly kicked-off into a passionate, excitement-fuelled hype. 0 to 100 style.
The cosy, two-tiered assembly of Patterns allowed for a vibrant projection of the sound, bouncing back off each of the walls and giving the audience as electric a feel both times around. The latter more likely being waves of atmosphere rather than sound. But positively shocking nonetheless. These fabulous acoustics also combined with the gloriously nutty crowd, and gave the performance a wholehearted feel. Glitter and shamrocks were being sweated off here, there and everywhere. The band continued their set with a consistently energetic performance and explosive sound that lasted the whole evening.
It was one of those events in which time leaves you, and when the lights come on your left standing there, out of breath, re-entering your body, like, wow. The band continued to invite the audience out after to hit the pubs and continue celebrating. Reiterating the bond formed during the performance.
It is pretty certain that not a person left that room without begging for water. Exhausted and ecstatic.
