top of page

Pip Blom, Talk Show & Jacob Slater - Saturday 1st June 2019.

Updated: Aug 30, 2019

Band on the Wall was the venue on this balmy early summers evening. It's an iconic venue in the Manchester music scene, and despite my going to gigs in Manchester regularly for over a year now, it was my first visit.


The venue has a really cool vibe and anyone and everyone is welcome. It was also really wonderful to see a pride flag at the bar. A small nod to the fact that it's now pride month.


The club is through a door inside the bar and is a bit of a Tardis as the main area and stage was actually impressively large, with a balcony above the main area.


I had no idea who the support bands were and as you know (if you've read my other reviews) I always go to watch them. The support tonight came from Jacob Slater and Talk Show.


Jacob Slater started playing a kind of Sweet Home Alabama riff, before going into his first track, Leader before the awesome Butterflies . He really reminded me of an Alice in Chains and early Stone Temple Pilots kind of vibe. The sound for me had a latter day grunge feel to it. If you watch the video below you'll see what I mean. I loved his set and it was the perfect start to a great night.







Talk Show were up next and again I had no idea what they were going to be like either, but make no mistake this band are EPIC! Punk, funk and bags of spunk! Their energy was off the charts!!


I'd not seen a drummer as energetic or frantically amazing for a while, the bass player was dancing around like Flea (RHCP), their singer reminded me a of cross between Paul Weller (The Jam) and John Lydon. The lead guitarist was the least bouncy of the band but his psychedelic riffs made the whole thing sound like nothing else I'd heard before.


If you're a lover of punk and want something different to listen to then I recommend you check this superb band out. Live, the energy of their performance is incredible. Check out my video of FEAR below.




Then the main lady herself the one and only Pip Blom. By then the place was completely full and I was right up against the stage, but I always love being at the front anyway.


Pip Blom is one of those artists that defies pigeon holing and the whole comparison thing sometimes does a disservice to the artist. But this lady is not unlike Courtney Love or Karen O (Yeah Yeah Yeahs). If you like funky, happy, punky, indie pop then you're going to love this lady.


Their harmonies are beautiful, her lyrics are very honest about the heartbreak and issues she's gone through. Sure we've all heard songs about pain and heartache before. But the way these songs are constructed has taken the art form and put a 2019 pop, indie, punk spin on it.


Pip Blom is an incredibly deep and talented songwriter and seeing her live you'll see she's simply sublime. The mosh pit was an absolute blast with people as young as 10 (yep I spoke to their parents) and the happy, bouncy feel of the painful songs made perfect pogo music.


Sweating and dancing are a theme for me when it comes to great gigs, and I left this one feeling completely satisfied!








Go check them all out if you get the chance - you won't be regret it!


Spotify:

Jacob Slater - really him but at the moment has links to other music. Hopefully he'll upload tracks soon.






0 comments

Recent Posts

See All
bottom of page