Oh When The SAINTES go Marching in - SAINTES at Sidney and Matilda
By Libby Driscoll
Shadowy art installations, ferocious rock n’ roll, ethereal poetry, a nod to Warwick Davis and a questionable email from Olly Murs all but skims the surface of SAINTES headline show at Sidney and Matilda...
Walking through the venue, ghostly figures gaze into your soul from the corners of the room as your attention flitters between figures of the uncanny valley and the kaleidoscopic projections they hide behind. Responsible for the daunting eyes staring into the back of your head, is the unnervingly endearing work of Not Fade Away (Bobbie Mercury) and his instillation Mercury Rising. Based on his lived experiences and originally intended to be a film, the Mercury Rising instillation delves deep into the psyche of his characters, painting a picture of the turmoil and ambiguousness that inhabits us all.
Pictured: Mercury Rising // Photo Credit: Bobbie Mercury
Though part of the exhibit, Mercury’s figures find their way onto the stage, alongside a sea of fairy lights, lamps, an old silver telly, and SAINTES illuminated on a mirrored sign making you feel like a you’ve fallen into the set of a romantic French film noir.
Opening the show and making a start to their first string of live performances is two-piece Juke. From the opening song, the audience automatically knew that they were a pair to get your head banging to. Despite it being the duo’s debut gig, the grungy whir of fuzz and jazzy angst was so tightly performed it’s hard to believe that they hadn’t already done it one hundred times before. Juke also brought an incredible element of self-deprecating commentary as well as a constant back and forth with one another; you came down to support the music and in turn were given the privilege of an intimate seating to a comedy pairing. Wearing their hearts on their sleeves and confessing their love for Warwick Davis in a mildly graphic yet ardent track, Juke couldn’t have left a better impression on the crowd. Keep an eye on these two as I’ve doubt that they’re set to blow up very quickly throughout 2022. Who knows, maybe they’ll even get to meet Mr. Davis himself before the year is out.
Pictured: JUKE // Photo credit: @idonylee
Following Juke is Conor Houston’s solo set, equipped with his electric guitar and an email from close pal Olly Murs expressing his condolences to him for returning to Sidney and Matilda and preparing him with a joke to open the set with (some of the audience, however, didn’t buy it. Who’d have thought, eh?). Showcasing a range of tracks usually performed with a full band, Houston continues themes self-deprecating humour, explaining to us where the ‘really cool guitar’ solos are meant to be and how “that track was like Noel Gallagher, but good wasn’t it?”.
Jokes and Mr. Murs aside, Houston brought his notorious charm and gritty ‘70s flair to his set, still pushing as much passion and energy into his music as you would with a full set-up. Playing a range of tracks from 2016 releases to the more recent end of his discography, Houston manages to add a fresh spin on each song, whether melodic or through commentary, the set felt unique as a fresh new batch of music.
Pictured: Conor Houston
Third and final of the support acts is solo artist and poet, Mouse Teeth. Intense, ambient feedback fills the room as she commandingly formulates her opening poem. Fuelled by her “passion for music and experiences as a young musician”, Mouse Teeth breathes a breath of fresh air into the world of grunge. The crunchy whir of atmospheric power chords and a voice crisp with a determined power resonates throughout the crowd, as the intensity of piercing rhymes and sickening truths punch you in the gut. Though her lyrics are pensively painful, you can’t help but crave to get lost further within her mystical atmosphere. With the assistance of a well-stocked pedal board, it’s hard to believe that the thick, doomy sound of Mouse Teeth is but the work of a singular person.
Pictured: Mouse Teeth // Photo credit: Ryan Hardy
After an incredible line-up of support acts, it’s finally time for the lads themselves to take to the stage. Merging 70’s chic with new-romantic glamour, the band are dressed to impress. With a buzzing growl of overdrive and a thunderous crash of drums, SAINTES let the venue know that it’s their time to shine with The Trap (that keeps you close). A jolt of syncopated head banging amongst the audience and frontman Will Kitching asking, ‘Sidney, are you with me?’, ignites a shared excitement within the sold-out venue as the crowd throw themselves into the music.
Pictured: SAINTES // Photo credit: Bobbie Mercury
Though endearingly fiery, the groove of the band is effortlessly cool. As the lads twirl and strut around the stage, it’s abundantly evident that their confidence stems from the natural nature of their position in front of a crowd- they well and truly belong here.
Halfway through the set, the band exits the stage to leave the flared frontman to perform a solo acoustic number. The adrenaline-fuelled buzz calms into a poignant focus as the crowd settle to immerse themselves into the calmer performance. Explaining it was the first time he has wielded a guitar in front of an audience, Will serenades the attentive audience with a dreamy show of emotion before the band re-joins to kickstart that vigorous rock n' roll.
Pictured: SAINTES. Photo credit: Bobbie Mercury
Continuing with the set as a full band, the second half of the set truly shows us what the guys are capable of. The flash of animated dancing, crashing fills and gritty distortion continue to conjure a whirlwind of excitement in the room. A charged energy of new-wave rock n’ roll explodes through the venue as the band tease material from their upcoming album alongside existing releases that the audience sing right back to the stage.
What I found particularly special about SAINTES’ performance was how involved they made everyone feel. From dancing in unison with the crowd to smiling glances and singing directly to audience members, it wasn’t just a case of watching another band, you truly felt involved with and welcome within the event.
After a few honourable mentions and sincerely thanking the support acts and audience, the band close their set. Their frontman leaves the stage to cheers as the remaining three lads finish the rest of the song. When they come to a close and join Will offstage, Sidney and Matilda frantically chants for an encore, and it’s with no doubt that the Sheffield lads left us desperately wanting more.
Pictured: SAINTES // Photo credit: Ryan Hardy
SAINTES sold-out show was undeniably a treat to witness. The adoration between the members of the band truly, and genuinely, stretched out to each and every person involved in the event, showing a true love for the room of creatives we found ourselves in. From the visual aesthetics of the event to each live act, the atmosphere was thick with a kind of exhilaration that left you walking away from the night feeling inspired.
Pictured: FLARE Music Magazine with SAINTES and Bobbie Mercury
Fancy catching the lads yourself? SAINTES will be playing Crookes Social Club, Sheffield, for their album release Saturday 11th June 2022. Buy tickets your here.