Originally appeared online October 2016
American-Welsh indie rockers Drowners played a sell-out gig at the NQ’s forever trendy Night & Day cafe last Tuesday eve (11th Oct). Fronted by male model Matthew Hitt, the four piece who are based in New York City are every indie girl’s dream. Think Vaccines, The Strokes with some pure 80s vibes thrown in.
Currently touring their second album ‘On Desire’, released this year on label Frenchkiss Records – Hitt (lead vocals, guitar), Jack Ridley III (lead guitar), Erik Lee Snyder (bass) and Daniel Jacobs (drums) have charmed audiences both sides of the atlantic with their classic good looks, crooning choruses and upbeat energy on stage. The set list itself was mostly new material, mixed with a handful of throwbacks from their self-titled debut album.
Track ‘Troublemaker’ opened the set with the crowd echoing every word back to frontman Hitt and throwing themselves around the small, yet cosy venue. The band themselves seemed to be buzzing – swinging guitars, swigging beers and interacting with a clearly adoring audience.
Another new offering included ‘Human Remains’, a song which certainly channels a more 80s flavour with a Smiths-like opening riff and a pining refrain that wouldn’t sound out of place in a John Hughes movie.
The anthemic ‘Long Hair’ taken from the band’s debut record from 2014, with its repetitive yet pulsing chorus singing of young love and stolen sweathearts had fans jumping arms outstretched desperately trying to grab hold of any Drowner they could get their hands on.
With support from a couple of fellow 80s-influenced bands Scarlet Rascals and Critics – the gig was intimate, sweaty and electrifying. The set was a non-stop, eleven-track display of indie-rock and how to be cool – which as Drowners dress like vintage Arctic Monkeys, croon like Morrissey and count Alexa Chung as one of their besties – isn’t hard to believe.
Drowners’ material is romantic, oh so indie and definitely follows a faithful template. Their signature sound runs through every track and although there is this certain familiarity – there’s a charm to these lads..a charm that made this gig an unsurprising sell-out.
cattface.com 