Brave Rival

Brave Rival + Tom Blackwell @ Newcastle Cluny  7/9/24

Thought it was about time I checked out one of the recent, fast ascending bands, Brave Rival, while they were on the doorstep, on their latest tour, promoting studio album #2 Fight or Flight. Their debut came out in 2022, so these lads & lasses certainly and letting the grass grow.

So the support, Tom Blackwell, is a local-ish singer/songwriter (from Teesside) and has the intriguing mix of Jack Savoretti good looks and Alan Hull (the Tyneside's Bob Dylan) sound and delivery. A clutch of good songs but he didn't really "connect" to his audience; nerves maybe?

Then on to Brave Rival, one of those newer bands who seem to be everywhere you turn; hats off to their work ethic. The "engine room" is our old mates Billy Dedman & Donna Peters, late of Albany Down, teamed with 2 lead-singers, Lindsey Bonnick & Chloe Josephine and backed by Ed Clark on guitar. So, a sort of Blues ABBA then...

Well yeah, that's about the size of it. Don't misunderstand me; the 2 vocal leads work and blend well together; the songs are well crafted, Ed is a fiery guitarist when he's unleashed and Billy & Donna are solidly dependable. It's just to me, they didn't connect; they're a "woman's band", a musical "chick-flic". It's just how they struck me, with the song content and inter-song chat. Don't get me wrong, they are a very good band and deserve due consideration but while they musically find themselves in a niche between Elles Bailey and Morganway, that's what comes over, they seem to have more appeal to the female audience.

As far as the show went; they did start off with a rather ambivalent sound mix; if the guitar had been as loud as the bass and the bass had been as quiet as the guitar, then it would have been perfect - they're not a "metal" band. One or two "odd notes" and a fluffed lyric aside, as I've said, they play well, play hard and look like they're enjoying it. Just it's my stop now, and here's where I get off...