Four-piece indie band Clean Cut Kid returned to Nottingham as part of their Give Love tour, taking to The Bodega’s stage for one night only. Comparable to bands like Fleetwood Mac and Fickle Friends, Clean Cut Kid proved they have a bright future ahead of them.
“Playing in Nottingham for the first time, Peach Fuzz gave a memorable and enjoyable performance”
Warming up the crowd for the night ahead was Peach Fuzz, a rock band from Liverpool. Each song of theirs had a slightly different sound, creating a varied and exciting set. A standout track was ‘Softie’, which lead singer Nathaniel explained was about the importance of male mental health and breaking the stigmas attached. Playing in Nottingham for the first time, Peach Fuzz gave a memorable and enjoyable performance.
“Clean Cut Kid filled The Bodega with ease, greeted by a welcoming crowd eager to hear more”
Despite technical difficulties at the beginning, Clean Cut Kid soon got into the swing of things, winning the audience over with their Scouse charm and effortless banter. Lead singer and guitarist Mike Halls joked that the show was “half music, half comedy”, reflecting their efforts to make the audience feel right at home from the start. Clean Cut Kid filled The Bodega with ease, greeted by a welcoming crowd eager to hear more. Although the stage seemed a little cramped for the band members, they still had a blast, jumping around with impressive energy.
“Catchy hooks and guitar riffs galore”
The band’s sound is the perfect mix of indie and pop, with catchy hooks and guitar riffs galore. The refreshing blend of male and female vocals by band members Evelyn and Mike was showcased from the get-go in numbers like ‘We Used To Be In Love’. Always harmonic and in sync, their voices compliment each other flawlessly. Having released their debut album Felt in 2017, the band have assured us another is on the way soon, taunting the crowd with a taste of what is to come.
Their new single ‘Deafening’ showed an edgier side to Clean Cut Kid, with rock and electronica elements combined to create an almost eerie sound. ‘Slow Progress’ is another in the same vein, with echoing vocals and a slower pace to match the title. Despite their new and promising singles, it was the older tracks that received the biggest reactions from the crowd, especially ‘Vitamin C’ which got everyone bouncing up and down and singing along with gusto. Mike described ‘Felt’ as an “oldie but a goodie” and he couldn’t have been more right.
Closing the show with ‘Emily’, a feel-good, infectious track from their recent EP Painkiller, Clean Cut Kid reminded us what they do best and demonstrated they haven’t lost their love of pop music. The audience left feeling content and humming to themselves. My only disappointment was that the band didn’t play more crowd-pleasers from their first album, including ‘Loud Places’ and my personal favourite ‘Leaving You Behind’.
“the intimacy allowing them to interact with the audience in a fun and witty way”
Even in a small venue like The Bodega, Clean Cut Kid were thoroughly entertaining, the intimacy allowing them to interact with the audience in a fun and witty way. I look forward with great anticipation to hearing their upcoming album, which is sure to be exceptional after having a small glimpse.
9/10
Sophie Hunt
Featured Image courtesy of Clean Cut Kid Official Facebook Page.
For more reviews follow Impact Magazine on Facebook and Twitter.
