BREVIEW: The Hunna @ O2 Academy 11.01.18

The Hunna @ O2 Academy 11.01.18

 

 

 

Words by Molly Forsyth  / Pics by Phil Drury

I step into the O2 Academy in Birmingham, a venue that has been a staple in my perusal of live music for over a decade, and feel apprehension for the first time.

I am still accustomed to being below the average age of attendees at gigs. Tonight, it is clear I am not. The hum of teenage excitement is all too familiar to me, except this time I am not part of it. College kids glug double pints of Somersby’s. Hives of young girls are buzzing around the venue, a swarm of double dyed-denim, glitter eyes, high-waisted jeans, vintage windbreakers and bleached buzzcuts. They look fantastic, and I have no doubt they are about to have the time of their lives tonight watching one of the fastest rising bands in the UK, The Hunna.

Night Riots – supporting The Hunna @ O2 Academy 11.01.18 / Phil Drury – Birmingham ReviewOpening this evening are Night Riots, who feed off the energy radiating around the hall to put in a blistering performance, complete with a mini LED display at the start of the set.

They are so good it is hard to believe they are supporting a gig of this size rather than filling the venue themselves. Night Riots effectively combine chugging riffs reminiscent of early emo bands such as Jimmy Eat World with the flamboyant sensibilities of new wave, and it’s a concoction fit for tonight’s crowd.

Frontman, Travis Hawley, strolls whimsically across the speakers throughout, shirt buttoned down past Simon Cowell-level, but not quite Morrissey-level.Coasts – supporting The Hunna @ O2 Academy 11.01.18 / Phil Drury – Birmingham Review

Their standout track is ‘Spiders’ – one of the strongest songs I hear all evening – which serves to show the band’s identity beyond their influences. The lo-fi drums, building anthemic verses and a smooth slide into delicate synth work, demonstrate the finesse that Night Riots possess. They return to UK shores from their native California in just a few short months and I will certainly be in attendance.

Next are Coasts, providing a tighter, crisper sound than their fellow support act, if perhaps lacking in originality. Compared to the more grandiose Night Riots, Coasts feel minimal in the space they occupy, their strength lying in the clarity of their layered tracks. At no point in their set does any instrument bleed into the other. The slightest pluck of the guitar can be heard against the gentlest beat, which is testament to their skill as musicians.

The Hunna @ O2 Academy 11.01.18 / Phil Drury – Birmingham ReviewAfter ploughing through a set consisting of pleasant, albeit forgettable dream pop, they end with ‘Oceans’ to a big cheer. Undeniably their most immediate and memorable moment of the night, it feels unfortunate that diversity is lacking in the rest of their catalogue. If they are capable of writing songs as impactful as ‘Oceans’ however, I remain hopeful that Coasts can expand on their sound with new and more unique ideas in the future.

The Hunna @ O2 Academy 11.01.18 / Phil Drury – Birmingham ReviewIn contrast, it seems that The Hunna have made a breakthrough in establishing their identity. Shrouded by dim strobes of magenta and indigo, they turn up with every intention of causing a frenzy. What follows is a 45 minute onslaught of menacing indie rock aimed squarely at your adrenaline reserves, complete with choruses containing clear ambition for chart success.

Highlights include early favourite ‘She’s Casual’, sung mainly by the crowd, current Radio 1 favourite ‘Flickin’ Your Hair’, and new song ‘Dare’, which perfectly demonstrates the band’s development in their songwriting. While the songs from their debut album, 100, are solid stabs at straight-up garage rock made popular in the Noughties, ‘Dare’ indicates that The Hunna are ready for bigger things.

The Hunna @ O2 Academy 11.01.18 / Phil Drury – Birmingham ReviewMaking their way back on the stage in coordinated jackets to spell out the song title, The Hunna launch into a dirty, distorted riff. The direct lyrics assert their authority to a lover, rather than wondering out loud if she cares about their existence (see ‘Still Got Blood’, ‘You Don’t Want It With Me’) and are imbued with a certain confidence that matches the growth the band have experienced in just two years. As they play the last notes of fan favourite ‘Bonfire’ the last remnants of cerise confetti float over a crowd still hungry for more, and I make my exit with every faith that 2018 belongs to The Hunna.

The Hunna @ O2 Academy 11.01.18 / Phil Drury – Birmingham ReviewAs impressed as I am with the three bands, the hero of the night is the crowd. I love young crowds, not for their ‘energy’ (being 24, I can’t claim I’m exactly tired yet) but for their commitment to having a good time. They aren’t jaded or overly educated in what makes good music to stop them from enjoying themselves to the fullest. They are a generation raised on a diet of too-cool-for-school trap beats and icy pop – Drake, Post Malone and Taylor Swift are played during intervals – but their appetite for indie coexists.

While applause and tacit appreciation is something I come to expect from crowds these days, tonight is all about festival-level screaming, stomping until your Vans are worn down from the sole, and climbing atop the shoulders of the first strapping young man you can find. And I can’t ask for anything better.

 

 

 

The Hunna @ O2 Academy 11.01.18 / Phil Drury – Birmingham Review

The Hunna @ O2 Academy 11.01.18 / Phil Drury – Birmingham Review

The Hunna @ O2 Academy 11.01.18 / Phil Drury – Birmingham Review

The Hunna @ O2 Academy 11.01.18 / Phil Drury – Birmingham Review

The Hunna @ O2 Academy 11.01.18 / Phil Drury – Birmingham Review

The Hunna @ O2 Academy 11.01.18 / Phil Drury – Birmingham Review

The Hunna @ O2 Academy 11.01.18 / Phil Drury – Birmingham Review

The Hunna @ O2 Academy 11.01.18 / Phil Drury – Birmingham Review

The Hunna @ O2 Academy 11.01.18 / Phil Drury – Birmingham Review

The Hunna @ O2 Academy 11.01.18 / Phil Drury – Birmingham Review

The Hunna @ O2 Academy 11.01.18 / Phil Drury – Birmingham Review

The Hunna @ O2 Academy 11.01.18 / Phil Drury – Birmingham Review

The Hunna @ O2 Academy 11.01.18 / Phil Drury – Birmingham Review

For more on The Hunna visit www.thehunna.com

__________

Coasts – supporting The Hunna @ O2 Academy 11.01.18 / Phil Drury – Birmingham Review

Coasts – supporting The Hunna @ O2 Academy 11.01.18 / Phil Drury – Birmingham Review

Coasts – supporting The Hunna @ O2 Academy 11.01.18 / Phil Drury – Birmingham Review

Coasts – supporting The Hunna @ O2 Academy 11.01.18 / Phil Drury – Birmingham Review

Coasts – supporting The Hunna @ O2 Academy 11.01.18 / Phil Drury – Birmingham Review

Coasts – supporting The Hunna @ O2 Academy 11.01.18 / Phil Drury – Birmingham Review

For more on Coasts, visit www.coastscoastscoasts.tumblr.com

__________

Night Riots – supporting The Hunna @ O2 Academy 11.01.18 / Phil Drury – Birmingham Review

Night Riots – supporting The Hunna @ O2 Academy 11.01.18 / Phil Drury – Birmingham Review

Night Riots – supporting The Hunna @ O2 Academy 11.01.18 / Phil Drury – Birmingham Review

Night Riots – supporting The Hunna @ O2 Academy 11.01.18 / Phil Drury – Birmingham Review

Night Riots – supporting The Hunna @ O2 Academy 11.01.18 / Phil Drury – Birmingham Review

Night Riots – supporting The Hunna @ O2 Academy 11.01.18 / Phil Drury – Birmingham Review

For more on Night Riots, visit www.nightriots.com

For more from High Tide Records, visit www.hightiderecordings.com

For more from O2 Academy, including full event listings and online ticket sales, visit www.academymusicgroup.com/o2academybirmingham

 

BPREVIEW: The Hunna @ O2 Academy 11.01.18

Words by Molly Forsyth

The Hunna will be stopping in Birmingham as part of their second major UK tour on Thursday 11th January, performing at the O2 Academy. Support comes from Coasts and Night Riots.

Doors open at 7pm and the tickets are priced at £24.15 excluding booking fees – as presented by High Tide Recordings and Academy Music Group. For direct gig info, including venue details and online ticket sales, click here.

**There are limited tickets remaining for The Hunna’s O2 Academy Birmingham show at time of writing, so fans should act quickly to enjoy the band before bigger venues beckon.**

The Hertfordshire four-piece will be gracing the O2 Academy stage in support of their upcoming sophomore album, Dare, set for release in May 2018. Boasting a potent blend of Instagram-friendly swagger, hometown pride, and riffs with the lick and spit of ‘noughties’ indie spirit that many considered long gone, The Hunna look set to take 2018 by storm and build on their current success.

The Hunna @ O2 Academy 11.01.18Upon the release of their debut single, ‘Bonfire’, in 2015, the band have enjoyed a rapid rise to popularity within the UK indie scene, charting in the UK Top 20 with their 2016 debut album, 100. They have become firm festival favourites along their journey – opened shirts, scuffed Dr Martens and bed-headed charm standing out against the preened, Athleisure look of their contemporary male acts. With their live show integral to their growth thus far, The Hunna could be further set to trouble international waters with their second release.

Joining The Hunna will be their High Tide label-mates Coasts. The Bristol based alternative outfit err on the cooler, minimalist side of indie rock, with comparisons to established acts such as Foals and Two Door Cinema Club. Earning major exposure thanks to BBC Radio 1 and E4’s Made In Chelsea putting 2014 single ‘Oceans’ on rotation, Coasts are playing in support of their second release, This Life Vol. 1. The band have already embarked on their own solo tour and are another name to look out for in the coming years.

Alongside Coasts, The Hunna will also be joined by US rockers Night Riots. Bringing the post-punk sound up to date for this generation, the Californian five-piece are more likely to show you the West Coast dusk rather than its famed sunshine. Still basking in the glow of reviews for second album, Love Gloom, in 2016, the band have steadily developed their reputation for a rapturous live show, notable for their emotive hooks and hypnotic basslines. Not to leave out, of course, their hints of modern power-pop vigour at the core of songs such as ‘Contagious’ and ‘Fangs’.

With a trio of acts that are each building a strong reputation for good live shows and memorable performances, the 11th January at the O2 Academy in Birmingham looks set to be all killer, no filler.

‘Dare’ – The Hunna

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NiUO4BaweQ

For more on The Hunna visit www.thehunna.com 

For more on Coasts, visit www.coastscoastscoasts.tumblr.com

For more on Night Riots, visit www.nightriots.com

For more from High Tide Recordings, visit www.hightiderecordings.com

For more from O2 Academy, including full event listings and online ticket sales, visit www.academymusicgroup.com/o2academybirmingham