Sound of Scarborough took over the Old Parcels Office for a weekend of original, local live music on 20th and 21st June.  Saturday evening’s ‘Recorded Delivery’ featured five acts. We sent Luke Mackie along to catch the vibe.

 

In the reverby belly of the Old Parcels Offices lies a gig.

Not a gurgling, horrible gig filled with sticky floors and bad soundsytems, but a warm gig, full of good noise, great acts and friendly faces from the Scarborough scene.

Anyway….

 

Nick Tudor starts the evening off; a man that invites you in to his world while busting out some of the catchiest choruses this side of the Yorkshire coast.

The sort of music you’d have on in the car on a sunny drive, cruising around with little care, no plans, and some ambition for an excellent day. Really takes you somewhere.

Nick is a hard working veteran of the Brid scene and it really shows in his set. Playing to an expertly crafted backing track, there is no room for mistakes but Nick somehow makes this feel ‘off the cuff’,  with that raw charm and engaging music.

As a solo artist, this is a musician that knows how to work a stage and give it the beans; you can often see full bands stood still, not making a move, but Nick struts every part of that stage like he owns it.

Fresh on the scene you’d expect these young humans might be shy and hide behind the mics, but as it turns out, Stargazer have that youthful energy and a bit of attitude to keep you hooked.

A tight, energetic mixture of covers and originals, smashing through their set and kicking off from one song to another, whilst keeping continuity with a real vibe.  No nervous chatter at this show.

Playing Dani California like they wrote it, slapping out some face-melting solos, animalistic drumming, grooving basslines and some real vocal business behind the mic.

A really promising start for a band.  Can’t wait to see what these guys are going to do next. (More originals, please.)

What a journey listening to this next band was. No, you’re not tripping, you’re just listening to Black White Square Form.

Mega complexity, unreal tones with arrangement ideas on tap. Technically astounding.

I could listen to this music in a bin and I’d forget I was in a bin.

It’s brain-scratchingly, lobotomisingly good. In fact, I think they’ve actually scooped my brain out and put it back in my head, leaving nothing but vibes.

Sax solos that can send you into space. Effortless drumming filled with so many complex rhythms.

Improvised. You what? Yeah, improvised it, mate.

Nah; sounds like they’ve spent the last 2 years writing that song.

Going to need a while to get over that one.

Electric, soothing, transportational, jungle-popping funkiness.

Flapping dreadlocks, zesty riffs and rimshots so satisfying they could cure a cold. It’s basically like if Tool and Metallica had a baby and called it Bad Panda.

It’s 100% that headbanging music – a nice change of scenery to tonights antics, some of that proper good sound that you can mosh too.

Fiercely energetic: I wonder if there is a version of epilepsy but for sound because if so, I think these guys would trigger it. It’s like an enjoyable seizure.

Great crowd interaction, tribalistic in parts, like being welcomed into something new except really it’s something primal in your roots that you’re meant to be a part of.

A band that really enjoys what they’re doing, with great moshing moves from the bassist; shout out to you, sir, that was inspiring.

Anyway, who thought adding monkey noises into a song would make an absolute banger? More musicians should do this. That was superb.

Woah, they’re clean, but it’s kinda filthy? Effortless harmonies, powerful vocals, and it’s all muscle memory for the unreal Nalgo Bay.

Every song they play feels like a foot-shuffling, knee-slapping hit single. It’s the goldilocks of Scarborough music, it’s not too much and it ain’t too little; it’s evident that Nalgo Bay craft their songs with precision and what a joy it is to see that it’s just as good live.

Taxi has become a big ol’ guilty pleasure for me after this gig. Still trying to figure out who is having mango chutney in a curry house at 5am though, but I guess that means the lyrics did their job as it’s still on loop in my head.

It is really worth sticking around for Nalgo Bay if you ever see them on a line-up; if you don’t then that’s an astronomical mistake to make.

Huge shout out to Sound Of Scarborough and everyone involved for another showcase of the finest musicians from nearby terrain. It’s these kinds of nights that make you feel lucky to live in a town where you can see this incredible level and mix of original music right on your doorstep.

 

 

Follow Sound of Scarborough on Facebook & Instagram and check out the vinyl album which was launched at the weekend’s events:

SOS Vol 3 is available from featured artists (Different State, Bass2Bass, Deep Sea Daggers, Bad Panda, Frankie Mac, Emma Jane, Northern Riots, Tymisha, Modern Horrors, Nick Calling, Greg Genre, Karen T) or a few copies are available via Sound of Scarborough and Beckview Studios.