The Gillies +Disbanded +Glassworks +Makeshift // Live Review 30.12.16

The Gillies +Disbanded +Glassworks +Makeshift // Joiners Live Review
30.12.16

Disbanded are a 3-piece from Southampton and were the first act of the night. With a balanced combination of indie riffs and an occasional harder core, there remained an overall laid-back consistency throughout their set. By throwing in a Paulo Nutini cover with a slight surfer twang to it, it happily broke up their set and added in a refreshing sing-a-long moment for the audience. Their final song, ‘Bound To Death’ was their standout track and contained a mixture of tempos yet was missing a bass throughout. The song was a great insight to what the boys could achieve and the multi-talented drummer was a refreshing factor in this 3-piece however, their songs could do with some more weight only found from introducing a bass.

Glassworks were next and are easily comparable to The Wytches. They match the grunge exterior and the angry riffs found in Wytches tracks that are bound to initiate any mosh and even saw bassist, Alex Green join in the moshing at the front. Their track, ‘To The Sun’ had a gentle bass line that carried the verse before the perfected messiness of the guitar kicked in making them a textbook example of local talent. With a slight harder Doors sound peering through in a couple of moments throughout their set, it’s apparent that Glassworks are a less intense version of grunge and their bluesy, rock attributes made them the perfect example of sweaty, teenage noise.

Makeshift are a local 4-piece that are the example of polished, alternative rock. With each track sounding like it could be on a Royal Blood album, Makeshift really were a loveable racket. Lead guitarist, Sam Goodenough captivated the attention of the audience from the get go as the force throughout their set remained full-blast. Royal Blood were a clear influence on Makeshift however slight hints of later Jack White were also present throughout making them a head-banging, foot-tapping phenomenon.

The Gillies were the final band of the night and this Hampshire based 4-piece truly embody that lost 90’s grunge sound so urgently needed in live music venues today. Their hypnotic guitar solos over their heavy Nirvana sounding back-bone make them one of the most exciting, up-coming bands in Southampton to date. By taking a Smashing Pumpkins sound and reviving it and intertwining it with a modern twist, The Gillies have created the perfect mixture of grunge and punk. Their stand out track was ‘Taste Like Honey’ as the electrifying guitar throughout the verses happily drag you into a false sense of security before the true chaos of the chorus kicks in.
The Gillies symbolize the true meaning of punk and their tracks embody everything perfect about the modern grunge scene; they are the band to watch in 2017.