Brum Shots

Monday night isn’t always ideal for a gig, but when I enter Hare & Hounds Venue 1 just as the night is starting, I’m surprised to already see a crowd. First up are local band Haze, a local alternative 5-piece opening their hometown show on the tour.

Their melodic, slow vibes seem to fit the mood perfectly – nothing too upbeat for an audience still recovering from the weekend, but groovy enough to hold the full attention of the room. A solid start to the night.

Next up are Carpark – an infectiously smiley 3-piece. They provide the perfect segue between Haze and October Drift, starting with the slower and sadder songs and building the set into dance-along upbeat bangers. Covering important topics such as your crush moving to Mars (which they admit may not become a prominent issue for at least a few years), the group seem to enjoy their performance. They’ve been the warm up act for the entire UK tour, and their sadness that it is almost over prepares us for what is to come next.

And then we make it to October Drift. Originating from Somerset, this bunch find themselves difficult to define. Elements of grunge and shoegaze create a contrast of upbeat, raucous music mixed with ambient breaks.

At first it’s hard to know where to look. Being a small venue, the stage seems barely able to contain them. I imagine sitting with a central view of a professional tennis match is akin to trying to take in the spectacle that is this performance. The constant movement, the energy of the opening tracks and the warmth coming from the crowd fill the room.

Not shy about entering the audience, the small gig is made even more intimate with up close and personal guitar solos. Front man Kiran Roy even manages to reach the bar at the back of the room (the crowd passing the microphone cord over their heads), making sure no-one is left out.

Towards the end of the night, the crowd are asked if they want to switch things up with a slow song or keep going with the faster tracks in their catalogue. A unanimous decision for faster songs is reached (obviously not a difficult decision) and the party starts up once again.

Overall, the gig is great fun for all involved. As their tour comes to an end, it’s safe to say that Birmingham have given them a penultimate night of tour to remember.