Review: Peace – Sin City, Swansea 12/06/14

Dot To Dot Festival 2014

What initially seems like an odd choice of venue becomes painfully clear upon entering SwanseaÔÇÖs Sin City. ItÔÇÖs packed. Perhaps something to do with the Birmingham quartetÔÇÖs recent appearance on E4ÔÇÖs hit ÔÇÿrealityÔÇÖ show Made in Chelsea? Certainly not. This crowd know exactly what theyÔÇÖre waiting for and it is by no means influenced by a controversial TV cameo.

An echoing intro sets the mood slightly off kilter; a mess of orange hair takes to the stage and no one is quite sure whatÔÇÖs going on. That is until the opening chords of ÔÇÿFollow BabyÔÇÖ career through the silence and the once static crowd becomes a distant memory. Arms are flailing and hearts are being sung out and that isnÔÇÖt just the crowd – Peace have well and truly got it sussed. From the choice of venue that seems to eat up their sound and spit it straight back out with all the right noises to the way the crowd of teenagers is wrapped tightly around their little fingers, B-TownÔÇÖs most promising bid for the big time know exactly what theyÔÇÖre doing.

Really, ItÔÇÖs hard to pick fault; there isnÔÇÖt a song that doesnÔÇÖt go down well. New single ÔÇÿMoneyÔÇÖ receives just as much approbation as old favourite ÔÇÿHigher Than The SunÔÇÖ and the previews of new album tracks are met with such fervour that you wouldnÔÇÖt be chastised for assuming that theyÔÇÖve been plucked from last yearÔÇÖs debut ÔÇÿIn Love.ÔÇÖ The warm 80s vibe that PeaceÔÇÖs forthcoming album seems to be exuding is much anticipated and, judging by this set, with very good reason.

If thereÔÇÖs any indicator for impending success then itÔÇÖs ÔÇÿLovesick.ÔÇÖ By this point, vocalist HarryÔÇÖs position has become redundant with the crowd taking over for a spine tingling, if not slightly out of time, sing along. ItÔÇÖs loud, full of feels and perfectly wedged in the middle of a show that shows no signs of slowing down.┬áÔÇÿBloodshakeÔÇÖ provides the conclusion of the night and, it seems, Peace started as they meant to go on.┬áArdently, flawlessly and to a horde of fans that only ever seems to grow.