It’s a moist start to the weekend in Birmingham but it’s not deterred people for showing up to catch MuddiBrooke’s first headline show in the city. Having caught them just once previously at the Hare and Hounds last year with The Virginmarys and Anchor Lane (in other words, the best bill this country has seen in years) and always impressed with their blend of alt rock and grunge, this was very much the definition of a no-brainer.
With originally four bands on tonight, there’s now one missing and no mention of them on-stage. Regardless, by the time openers, First Frontier, take to the stage, there’s a healthy audience gathered. The duo of guitar and drums share vocals, running a gamut of genres, kicking off with an Oasis-inspired number (but don’t hold that against them) and without the nasal vocals. Whilst the mix throughout is a touch muddy with guitars buried and the drummer’s vocals buried, it’s easy to pick up on what they’re doing. One song sounds funky, another has a big, bulky melody to it, one has a swift march on the drums and shows the band at their slickest. Another is frantic, containing touches of old school punk with vocals spilling forth and could easily fit on a Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater game if it wasn’t for the doom breakdown. It doesn’t quite feel like an identity crisis but more a case of throwing stuff together and finding their feet on what works and it wouldn’t be surprising if they present a more lean and focused version of themselves in the future.
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TNL VZN (that’s Tunnel Vision but without the vowels because SEO is something bands have to consider in this modern age) definitely seize the moment and make the most of their time, letting the music do the talking for them. With very little of an online presence to go on, it would seem they’ve recently undergone a name change but despite that, have brought a good handful of people just to see them. They’re a touch rough around the edges and they don’t come across as one unit. Sonically, it’s a mixture of indie and The Pretty Reckless with an extra guitar. Regardless, everyone puts in a solid performance on an individual level. But by the halfway point, there’s a germ of something, as if they’ve saved all the solid songs for the second half, including a darkly brooding cover of Lady GaGa’s “Paparazzi” showing how vacuous most 21st century pop is from a lyrical standpoint but it goes down well, as does a bluesy/funk-based song.
It’s not long to wait until tonight’s headliners hit the stage. And hit it they do. Immediately taking no prisoners with their angst-filled “Liverpool Guy”; MuddiBrooke are on top form. With only a five song EP to their name, they double that output for a ten track show which manages to show their past, present, future and influences. Managing to get everyone comfortable, they pull another couple of numbers from their 2021 debut EP, Lunacy, in the shape of “Devil” which, given its lyrical content, is appropriately dedicated to “an arsehole” and “Fake It”. The former is moody, grimy and feels claustrophobic until it hits its thrilling crescendo and works well with the juxtaposition of the brighter “Fake It”.
And once we’re comfortable, the trio start peppering in some new material, starting with the fast and furious “ADHD” whilst “Float” with its bombastic intro and single “Cellar” (review coming soon) all present the next chapter of the band. Everything is equally lean as the Lunacy material but it now sounds far darker and more vicious, specifically “Cellar” as Brooke’s lead vocals are spat with force.
There’s a couple of songs introduced by bassist Anna Melidone with a cover of Highly Suspect’s “Little One” and their own “Turn to Dust”, the latter of which allows for a bit of banter between both her and Brooke. It’s where Brooke’s lower vocal truly shines and with its plugged-in version compared to the acoustic-led version found on the EP, it’s bigger and bolder; the emotions more intense. Meanwhile, the Highly Suspect cover allows the band to show off their influences without fully wearing them on their sleeve and coming across as pastiche. And having checked out the original afterwards, they certainly did it justice and I’ll need to dive into their discography when I have the chance.
The mercurial “Straight Jacket” is the perfect mid-point – Brooke manages to hit some impressive vocal highs against its razor sharp riff and Anna’s bass rumbling dangerously. She locks in perfectly with drummer Morgan Pettigrew and having been with the band for some time now, it doesn’t feel like he’s the “new guy”, owning the pre-existing material as if it’s his own and bringing his own flair to it. Meanwhile, he brings more vigour and aggression, elevating the entire band. However, it’s the finale of “You Don’t Own Me” which has the band at their most impressive. Dialling everything up a notch, the sense of unity from the trio gives the impression that the three of them believe in the message of the Lesley Gore song. Frustration boils into anger, reflected in its grungy tone as it explodes into the crescendo.
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What is apparent throughout the set though is that whilst there’s songs which are much newer than others, they’re all played to an equal level of quality, showing they’ve spent the necessary time on these songs and they’re not a work in progress. But it wouldn’t be surprising that when they feature on their album, they’ll be played to an even higher standard then. Turning in a better performance than last time, there’s newfound confidence and comfortability without it turning to arrogance and complacency. Armed with edgier material and a whole string of dates ahead of them, it’s how great, lasting bands are forged.
Header image by Jason Bridges
MuddiBrooke: official | facebook | twitter | instagram | youtube
TNL VZN: facebook | twitter | instagram
First Frontier: official | facebook | twitter | instagram | youtube
