Deep Cuts is TWO: Jacaranda Records Phase One, Liverpool - photo gallery

Yammerer at Deep Cuts 2nd Birthday

Deep Cuts celebrated a wild second birthday with the finest new bands from the North West with a full house at Phase One and plenty of cake, Getintothis’ Peter Goodbody and Chris Flack capture the revelry.

Recovered yet? Deep Cuts‘ second birthday was a wild one – and we wouldn’t have it any other way.

There was a tangible buzz in the air around Seel Street in the build up to the evening and come 7 bells, punters were already in place for what would prove one of the finest night’s Jacaranda Records’ Phase One had hosted in its short time in Liverpool.

Chocolate and birthday cake was guzzled with handfuls of jelly beans also doing the rounds as openers and debutantes Bobby West enthralled with a set of noir blues amid a stage set encased with wild red roses. Frontman Bobby is a captivating set, all rippling muscular and tattooed frame with a deep, growling roar aligned to Nick Cave jamming to Tom Waits rock & roll.

The contrast to Yank Scally, the second act making their live debut, would prove stark and in keeping with the evening and ethos of Deep Cuts as a whole; his is a melancholic neo-croon through ambient chamber pop and haunting soulful electronica belying his tender age. Clearly, given the packed room there’s a lot of love for this Toxteth youngster. Expect more from both.

Having hosted more than 120 live performances in two years, Deep Cuts then welcomed back some of our tastiest artists – LONESAW, with an uncompromising and visceral display of power sent Phase One into shivers as sax, dual drumming and a multitude of effects put the whole sound system – and ears – to the very limit.

Once again, the musical contrast couldn’t have been further with Bill Nickson following amid a swaggering rhythmical detour through beach pop, lo-fi college rock and singalong melodies – such is his power to grip you could barely hear his mumble behind his trademark fringe – but that just lent to the keening audience straining at the bit to hear every muttered word. Bill‘s gonna go far.

Yammerer and Shards provided the biggest audiences – and the most wild of the night as Deep Cuts reached a zenith with the former inducing tops-off mania as their propulsive Talking Heads tackling The Fall power post-punk noise thrilled to the max; the latter exercising a controlled chiming pop proving their live set to date. Both bands are clear ones to watch in 2019.

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With Getintothis‘ local hero of the year, Wilf Haag welcomed to the stage and blow out the celebratory candles it was left to Blurred Sun Band to enter the stage to Sun King and characteristically close with their cosmic blend of whacked out jazz, effortless musicianship and some seriously natural percussive skill. It was a pleasure to have them back.

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There’s been some special nights and music at Deep Cuts – and this one was right up there. We’ll be back on Friday February 15 with more of the same – #GuaranteedSwellTimes. Thanks for being with us.

Photographs by Getintothis’ Peter Goodbody and Chris Flack