Music
Guest review: Black Foxxes join Nothing But Thieves in London
Black Foxxes are the brilliantly-noisy trio from Exeter who’ve quickly gained momentum with their dynamic and ballsy approach to rocking out.
We put bassist Tristan on guest review duty when they stopped in London this month, as the band’s support Twin Wild and Nothing But Thieves at The Dome, Tufnell Park.
Photo: Instagram/Black Foxxes
For more on 70s school discos, female-heavy fanbases and having your mind utterly blown by music, check out what Tristan made of the show below.
“We played our little hearts out”
For three, small-town country boys, being in the big city is always a treat. The hustle and bustle of the drive up and finding dodgy alleyway parking spots to load in really gets us in the mood for a show. After (regrettably) having to cancel a local show with Nothing But Thieves a few months prior, it was a big deal for us to be asked back to support the guys on their home soil. The Dome is a fantastic venue, although reminiscent of 70s school disco halls, it’s spacious and well geared towards larger crowds; and certainly larger than we’re used to. That said, we played our little hearts out and it was a pleasure to see so many people there at the beginning to see us (including some kids over from France and Denmark!). Despite being slightly more raucous than the latter bands, the set went without a hitch, and it was awesome to see so many of the audience singing along to a couple of our songs.
“Twin Wild are a fantastic live act”
Four of the most charming and charismatic men in British music you’ll ever meet, Twin Wild are a fantastic live act, and translate that to their performance. Subtle backing tracks and ambient samples make their live show fluid and captivating, and an absolute pleasure to watch. Highs and lows exactly where you need them and a credit to the show. Tonight’s audience was approximately 90 per cent female, and when Twin Wild are part of the line-up no one is left dumbfounded as to why. As handsome as they are talented, with sterling vocals and guitar play, these guys are surely ones to watch. Having announced mid-set that they had signed their fist record deal, you could tell how humble the guys were and truly passionate they are about their music. There’s no doubt TW will be all over the airwaves in the not-so-distant-future, so keep you’re ears peeled, and ladies, prepare yourselves.
“Nothing But Thieves make me feel warm and fuzzy”
So we’ve been getting rather friendly with the NBT boys as of late, and it’s nice to see a young band full of energy on the verge of superstardom still retain the humble nature of a band half their size. They know their audience and take command of the stage better than a lot of bands out there. It’s so great to see a rock band break into that pop scene with such ferocity and style. To be quite honest, when I had first heard of the band, Graveyard Whistling was the first track that was properly released, and I didn’t quite know what to think. It’s soft and delicate, and a great track, but didn’t quite have that edge that I would usually look for. However, in the months that followed with the release of songs like Ban All the Music and Itch, my preconceptions had totally changed.
After seeing them live I gained a completely new perspective altogether. Conor’s vocals are so intense I don’t know where to look half the time. Their live performance is so raw and natural, and their arrangements so slick. I feel like I’m watching the second coming of Led Zeppelin. Big claim? Yeah probably, but they make me feel warm and fuzzy (and totally inadequate). I’m going off track… In short, the show they put on at The Dome was utterly mind-blowing, and they blew the roof off the place. Not literally of course, but their style knows no bounds and those boys are a true credit to rock and pop across the board.
Catch Black Foxxes at Reading and Leeds Festival 2015, 28 – 30 August. Weekend and day tickets are on sale now at Ticketmaster.co.uk/reading-leeds-festival-2015.
