They’re intimate and special, stuffed full of memories of good old-fashioned punk rock shows past. They’re not always as pristine as the room where the Barnsley punks are playing tonight, but it’s part of their charm. This is the life of touring the toilet circuit, as it is affectionately known, where the rooms are small and sweaty and the floors are sticky or covered in old-fashioned swirly carpets. Drummer Sam Hobbins is waxing lyrical about the sound systems in newer, flashier Academy venues: “That’s what you go to for! You want good sound! We were sound-checking earlier and I was like ‘This sounds so fucking great on stage, so it’s going to sound killer for the audience.’ That’s what matters most.” Guitarist Seán Bon is, in his words, “ecstatic” about having designated storage space for his gear when he’s not playing. More often than not, their dressing rooms don’t have mirrors, and Lauren and bassist Becky Baldwin end up doing their makeup for the evening’s show in the toilets. The back rooms of Birmingham’s O2 Academy are positively luxurious compared to most of the venues they play. There isn’t a hint of irony in her voice when she talks about these everyday items, which become novelties when you’re living life on the road. Bigger venues await.“We have a mirror in our dressing room! We have a kettle!” exclaims Hands Off Gretel frontwoman Lauren Tate. They’re making the right music at the right time and that heady mix of authenticity, intense performance and song writing nous is set to take them a long way. Make no mistake, this is a band on the up. The intensity in the room increases throughout the set and by the time we get to the closing duo of ‘My Size’ and a cover of The Stooges’ ‘I Wanna Be Your Dog’ we’re in full moshpit mode and the HOG groove has taken over Edinburgh. Until guys get that we’ll get angry rants like this and deservedly so. It’s not hard really, don’t touch or get in someone’s personal space unless there’s a clear invitation to do so. That lived experiences thing unfortunately also includes the typically jagged, edgy groove of ‘Don’t Touch’, preceded by an impassioned speech about how women at rock shows are treated all to often, from inappropriate behaviour to stuff that is tantamount to sexual assault. Whether it’s the believe in yourself anthem ‘Freaks Like Us’ or the mix of anger and weariness with the world in the brooding ‘Milk’, you can feel that this is about a lived experience and Becky Baldwin’s big bass sounds, Sean McAvinue’s ferocious guitar and the style and power of Sam Hobbins’ drums all have a laser like focus on making the song work. Something else that makes the HOG sound work so well is authenticity. Their sound is full of different influences from alternative rock and grunge and punk and pop but behind Lauren Tate’s committed vocals which can go from soft and subtle to full on scream, there’s a band groove which just pulls you in. However every time they kick into a song that’s replaced with a truly impressive confident intensity. Between songs there’s a slightly shambolic vibe, as if these four talented musicians can’t quite believe where they are. It doesn’t take long for them to turn the rock thermostat right up though, with a slew of songs mostly taken from a new album that they’re justifiably proud of. Words: Ian Sutherland, Pictures: Mark Hollowayīy the time the quartet squeeze through the crowd to get to the stage, the room is already a hot, sweaty, mid summer mess. Tonight after some hard touring and the release of excellent new album ‘I Want The World’, Bannermans is sold out with people queuing at the entrance to make sure they get the best spots. Less than a year ago Hands Off Gretel were in Edinburgh displaying their mixture of raw, punky energy and grungy sounds laced with melodic sensibilities to a hardcore few. It’s always great to see a hard working, talented band start to get the dues that they’ve paid for.
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