NEWS
EVENTS
Cheatahs, Sky Larkin & Peggy Sue @The Sebright Arms 18/10/13
Indie | Monday 21st October 2013 | Harry
Nicely tucked away in the depths of the east end boozer, a sell out crowd were witness to a Wichita recordings showcase. Formed in 2000 by Mark Bowen and Dick Green, the indie label boasts such acts as First Aid Kit, Waxahatchee and the Cribs. Friday’s gig formed part of the celebrations for Wichita’s thirteenth birthday, as three of the label’s prize assets performed.
Indie Folk darlings Peggy Sue kicked off proceedings. At the harder end of the folk revival spectrum, the Brighton based band’s music is reminiscent of a fuzzy, urgent Laura Marling: folk sensibility with a brittle edge. It’s an interesting prospect. Rosa Rex and Katy Klaw's vocals weave pleasantly together, especially on songs from 2011 album Acrobats. The band announced a new album is on its way soon, and their latest material was well received. Raucous new track Two Shots was the highlight of the set and suggests there’s a lot more to come from Peggy Sue.
As the crowd settled in for the evening, Sky Larkin took to the stage. The Leeds four-piece offered up forty minutes of noisy, straight up indie rock. They made a hell of a noise, and the angular and articulate guitar playing of Katie Harkin cut through the din nicely. While the band’s energy was undeniable, a lack of light and shade saw the set drop off slightly over time, before new track Frozen Winter helped to wrestle back momentum.
While headline act Cheatahs recall nineties shoegaze acts My Bloody Valentine and Drop Nineteens, they continue to build their own identity and indeed their growing reputation on their song writing prowess. So often guitar bands of similar ilk are lacking in tunes and I’m so often left frustrated when a groups’ songs don’t stack up and form effective vehicles for their sound. This definitely isn’t a problem that Cheatahs are laboured with; there are more than enough strong melodic ideas to raise them above indie landfill status.
With the unassuming and charmingly awkward Canadian Nathan Hewitt at the helm, Cheatahs powered through tracks from the Sans and Coared E.Ps as well as 2013 single Cut the Grass. The band weren’t afraid to mix things up and vary the textures of their sound, and while fan favourite The Swan was perhaps thrown in a bit early, the well rounded set was nonetheless a triumph.
As the celebrations are brought to a close, for tonight at least, labels are still the gatekeepers of the music industry.
