by Adam McGrath
There is absolutely no bullshit when it comes to Eagulls, the post punk band out of Leeds, England. During their compact set Friday night at Johnny Brenda’s, the five-piece group blazed through most of the tracks from their self-titled debut album with a focus and fury that commanded attention.
Usually, I like to see a band engage the audience during a show, exchanging short quips and stories about the music or life on the road. But in this case I actually enjoyed the fact that vocalist George Mitchell only occasionally muttered a “thank you” and told the audience “you can move closer, you know.” He put all his energy into the performance, which did encourage the audience to shuffle forward and nod their heads a little more vigorously.
Eagulls (photo credit, Adam McGrath)
Staying on Mitchell’s stage presence for a moment, the lanky, heroin-chic frontman offered plenty to latch on to, as he shouted into the microphone with head severely cocked and one arm behind his back. With the amount of echo pumping through the speakers, you’d only be able to catch the lyrics if you already knew them, but the melody carried through all the way.
That reverb-laden sound is a staple of Eagulls’ songs, and guitarists Liam Matthews and Mark Goldsworthy built a cloud of resonance with a variety of pedal effects and strumming techniques. On one song, Goldy even played his guitar with the whirring plastic blades of a tiny electric fan. Color me impressed.
However, the one band member who most stood out to me was bassist Tom Kelly. Every song was anchored by his intense, pounding bass lines, which cleanly cut through all the effects surrounding him. Drummer Henry Ruddel held his own behind the kit, but it was Kelly that proved the pumping heart of the band.
Every song Eagulls played Friday night was enjoyable, but the crowd reacted especially well to “Nerve Endings”, the opening track of their LP, which immediately crystallizes the uneasy, frustrated psyche that permeates the band’s music. The set concluded with the group’s most pop-adjacent song, “Possessed”, and that was it. The band dispersed with as little fanfare as they arrived, leaving the audience to digest a powerful, unapologetic performance.
Slow Animal (photo credit, Adam McGrath)
Opening for Eagulls was South Jersey / Philly group Slow Animal. They were a good fit for the bill, as they created a full high-low sound without the help of a bass, opting for two guitar lines that meshed well together over the driving drum parts. Singer Alex Kabable kept things light during the short set, giving shout outs to friends and family in the crowd, even reading a text message of encouragement from his mother. This group of friends has some good momentum going for them, and should continue to polish their echo-rock sound with each performance. Check out their EP, The Other Side, on Bandcamp.
