The most immediate thing I noticed when entering Tiny Rebel Brewery was the quirky and unique
setup. The entire room was illuminated by the soft red glow of the eye-catching Tiny Rebel neon
logo, front and center of the room, coupled with the vine leaves hanging from the walls, it left an
ethereal, pleasing aesthetic for the eye. The excellent mixing and acoustics provided an excellent
degree of clarity for the artists, which certainly left a memorable impression.
Generation Feral was the first up on stage. A solo act consisting of Izzy Liddamore
(Piano/Vocals/Ukulele) from Essex with a lot to say, Generation Feral conjured emotional and
cinematic sounds, ranging from soft, gentle and delicate melodies to strong and powerful choruses.
Generation Feral captivated the attentive audience off the bat with her serene and passionate Too
Numb, Too Fast track on piano. She ended her set with her latest single, The Kids are Not Alright. An
upbeat, reggae tune achieved by a complex Ukulele/Pedal setup. The set was unmistakably
politically charged, with themes of identity and society from a distinctly leftist perspective.
Up next was Depo Provera, a soulful duo consisting of Loafus (Guitar/Vocals) and Jez (Bassist). They
brought folky and R&B guitar riffs evocative of a stripped back Fleetwood Mac with soulful blues
bass lines and rhythmic, country vocal melodies to create a distinctively mellow sound. The set was
engrossingly hypnotic as catchy blues riffs and rapping vocals left the band with the audienceÔÇÖs undivided attention, and by the end of the set, the audience couldnÔÇÖt help but clap along and stamp their feet to the smooth, soulful sounds of Sheep and Dream Land.
By this point, the initially intimate venue was beginning to reach capacity as Something About
Dinosaurs came on stage. The Cardiff-based 4 piece consisting of acoustic rhythm/electric lead
guitars, bassist and drummer played an incredibly tight, energetic set delivering a dynamic mix of
upbeat, 2010s style indie rock, and deeply sensitive, stirring acoustic tracks and the back and forth of
vocals between bassist and frontman gave a wonderful dynamic performance. The band dedicated a
unique cover of Katy PerryÔÇÖs Teenage Dream to close friends, giving the audience both a crunchy,
animated rock cover of the 2010s pop classic and a personal, intimate performance which the whole
crowd were singing and dancing to. The band itself were oozing charisma and stage presence,
engaging in hilarious banter audience members and creating an inviting and chummy vibe.
By the time the final act of the night, Blue Bones came on, the entire venue was heaving and gearing
up for the headliners. Blue Bones is the stage name for Cardiff-based singer-songwriter Evan Bevis
Knowles (Bass/Vocals), supported by Glen Taylor (Guitar), Ben Hutchinson (Guitar), Tam Dahale
(Bongos/Keys) and Wilfred Oakwood (Drums). They played a lively set of alternative R&B and indie,
reminiscent of Mac Demarco, The Beatles and The Smiths, and some clear influences from classics
like the Arctic Monkeys, including a sneaky 505 refrain, sandwiched within the single Nothing. The
set had a deeply complex, multi-layered and robust sound that is far from usual for live
performances, in no small part due to Tam DahaleÔÇÖs bongos and keyboard. Time Flies was a standout track that night. Its Lo-fi/dream-pop lead guitar and R&B chord progression created a captivating experience for such a mellow song. The discrepancy between the warm and soothing melody and the bleak, somber lyrics left a memorable and strikingly bittersweet feeling. The band were able to interact with the audience throughout the gig in an entertaining and charming manner, with plenty of inside jokes and jabs flying around, including a chant amongst the audience of ÔÇ£Show us your feet!ÔÇØ directed primarily at frontman Evan. The crowd maintained its
energy throughout the set, especially during a faithful cover of Creep by Radiohead, sung by Tam.
The night ended on an encore of the song No News is Good News, an incredibly catchy indie/alt R&B track with acapella-style backing vocals.
Words and photos by Joe Flynn
