Live Review: Alex Lahey, Hot Spoke, JODY

The Brighton Up Bar is a unique venue. The stairs in the middle of the room create a split dancefloor preventing an optimal viewing point, except if you're right up front. The lounges in the corner, however, offer a comfy location from which to watch the supports.

JODY, with their garage-rock ethos, slacker vocals and jangly guitars entertained the early audience. Sometimes comparisons could be made to Urge Overkill, but there are some nifty '60s-esque chord changes in there. Worth catching on their upcoming tour.

Hot Spoke brought the mood back to a glassy and ethereal level for their set. Ness Muir on vocal duty danced over squalling guitars that surround you in their warmth. They never really pushed into dance territory with their pacing, but that relaxed folky vibe was fun. The bad banter between songs (definitely better than no banter, BTW) highlighted the casual dynamic of a group that are doing all the right things.

One year from obscurity to stardom is one way to describe Alex Lahey. With the recent release of her B-Grade University EP, showcasing five songs of differing early-20s topics, we have been exposed to a burgeoning uber-talented songwriter. The songs speak for themselves, but when Lahey performs you are immediately drawn to her.

Throwing her axe skyward and belting out her songs on stage revealed Lahey to be a dynamic and enigmatic character. We got all of the tracks from the EP plus a taste of what’s to come. Everyday’s A Weekend was a definite starter for next single and we were given a garage-pop-tinged cover version of Torn.

The band are top-notch but it’s Lahey with her confident and relaxed personality that really builds on the attraction of her well-crafted songs. This was Lahey’s first, of what will no doubt be many, sold-out gigs. Catch her in a small room while you can.