Big Deal, The Big House and big potential. Pity there’s minimal fuss. Getintothis’ Liza Williams struggles amid the Friday night frenzy in Mojo.
Somtimes it doesn’t matter how good the band, a crowd peppered with enough idiots paying no attention can spoil a gig.
Girl-boy duo Big Deal almost snuck on stage at Mojo as part of Liverpool Music Week, easing into opening track Chair.
But a fair section of the crowd failed to notice they were even there as the gig approached the half way mark.
Softly spoken Kacey Underwood thanked everyone for turning up – they had travelled for seven hours from London to Liverpool – I wondered whether he wished they hadn’t bothered.
But for the people who had appreciated this trip up the M6, Big Deal‘s intense, brooding melodies were absorbing.
Big Deal.
There was no drums or bass – the pair performing with just an acoustic and an electric guitar. Their subtle, layered sound and smart lyrics beautifully capture teenage anguish and the desperate desire to be older.
Alice Costello‘s vocals almost sounded like they were about to break as she agonised through stand out track Homework, quietly smiling in-between songs.
Shame then, there simply wasn’t more people listening. The set was rounded off with single Talk and the pair snuck off stage again, without any fuss or noise.
The Big House.
Possibly because of their local credentials and reputation there appeared to be more appetite for The Big House; singer songwriter Candie Payne and ex-Zutons guitarist Paul Molloy‘s latest project.
It’s been over a year since the couple started playing together, but judging by their set you could be forgiven for thinking they had been established for ten times that.
The last time Getintothis saw them the performance was cut short by an embarrassing moment with a broken guitar string, but in Friday’s set there were no such blips.
The performance was note perfect, and the harmonies on Canyon Home in the Sun stood out as particularly impressive.
At times a lack of originality and their alt-country style sounded a little tired, yet there’s little doubt as a live act The Big House have big potential.
Secret Garden Gathering.
Pictures by Marie Hazelwood.
