Stuart Pearce, Cowgirl, and Teenage Tom Petties @ JT Soar 08.08.24
‘I like to wield the mic like a mediaeval weapon!’
An electrifying night of raucous, upbeat tunes at JT Soar was kicked off by the fantastic ‘Teenage Tom Petties’. The band, clearly influenced by a love of the ‘90s, brought an infectious energy to the stage, blending the pop sensibilities of their namesake with the rawer sound of early ‘Get Up Kids’ and the poppier vibes of ‘Husker Du’. Hailing from Portland, York, and Derby, the band rattled through a setlist of short, catchy songs that had the crowd singing along in no time. Their new self-titled album dropped recently, and their new single, ‘Kissed Me in Seattle,’ introduced as an American movie prom song, went down a storm.
Another band with a new album out this week is ‘Cut Offs’. Up next were ‘Cowgirl’—think reverb! There was barely a moment to catch a breath as the York-based four-piece launched into track after track of garage-inspired walls of sound. With The Jesus and Mary Chain clearly an influence, the two lead singers traded vocals between songs while letting their guitars wail. An incredibly tight rhythm section kept the whole thing from spilling over, leaving the audience clamoring for more!
As a Forest fan, I must admit that this was the first time seeing the headliners, named after my childhood hero. Images of Pearce’s famed celebrations for club and country still bring up visceral emotions, as did tonight’s sensational performance! This Nottingham band fired through their songs at a frightening pace, all high kicks and microphone spinning. The lead singer said post-gig, ‘I like to wield the mic like a medieval weapon… it requires a great trust in gaffer tape’! Socialist anthem ‘The Bosses are Stealing Your Days!’ perfectly captured the vibe within the room and sent the crowd pogoing with energy. This foursome knew how to work a room, and the addition of synth—played unconventionally at times—took their ‘Fall’-esque vibe to another level. Certainly a standout in Nottingham’s bristling music scene… catch them wherever you can, as soon as you can. I’m sure Stuart Pearce himself would approve!
