In our healthy British rock scene Scarlet Rebels are one of our shining lights. The Llanelli quartet now have two top 20 albums under their belt with the result that this extensive UK tour featured a London show at a venue five times larger than their last headline in the capital, the Black Heart. Though the Garage was only about half full, it still represents a substantial step forward in popularity.

There was also a value for money three band bill slightly unusual compared to the NWOCR norm with the opener The Hot One Two distinctly heavier than the other two acts on the evidence of the slightly downtuned ‘Playing With Fire’ and ‘Godforsaken Blues’. However ‘You’ve Got It’ got it was a good example of how they marry a balls out sound with big hooks. The stage rather cramped their usual exuberant style, though Kev Baker (who has since controversially been fired by the band) was pulling his usual grimaces. ‘Is It Hot’ boasted synchronised stage movements and ‘Tie Me Down’, also heavy but with a singalong conducted by excellent vocalist Simon West, ended a short but impressive set.

There was now something completely different and a brave choice of main support in Morganway. Fronted by bohemian singer SJ Mortimer (Sarah Jane, I can only assume), I’ve heard them.raved about but by lovers of Americana rather than heavy rock. Initially I found it hard to get into the songwriting style on ‘Come Over’ and ‘Don’t Turn the Lights On Yet’, though when Nicole Terry broke into a fiddle solo the songs threatened to become a rowdy hoedown. ‘You Can Only Die Once’ and ‘Hurricane’ were both rockier, the latter with an instrumental jam with keyboard, fiddle and guitar solos in turn.

They certainly covered an eclectic mix of bases from rock to indie folk, though cowboy hatted guitarist Kieran Morgan took too much of a back seat musically for my liking. ‘Feels Like Letting Go’ was faster paced before they ended with a new single ‘I Feel the Rain’. Digging deeper into their work online subsequently, I suspect this gig did not find them at their best, but I was intrigued enough to want to explore further.

If Morganway offer something different, Scarlet Rebels offer something more reliable and predictable. After taking the stage to Charles and Eddie’s ‘Would I Lie To You’, they opened as on latest album ‘Where the Colours Meet’ with ‘Secret Drug’, perhaps one of the most commercial of the anthems that distinguish it. Indeed, continuing with ‘How Much is Enough’ and ‘My House My Rules’, the new album formed two thirds of the set, though many of the songs have been around in the live environment and/or pre- released as singles so they already felt familiar.

Live they were however distinctly heavier and rawer than on that polished record, in the hands of the very no nonsense and formidable rhythm section of drummer Gary Doyle and bassist Carl Oag, who a friend likened to Daryl Dixon of the Walking Dead. Those trademark rousing anthems came thick and fast with the familiar ‘I’m Alive’, ‘Take Me Home’, ‘Take My Breath Away’ and ‘Streets of Fire’.

The only ground for complaint might have been a lack of variety as they don’t fall far from the Rebels template of Wayne Doyle’s passionate vocals and the crisp guitars of he and Chris Jones, the latter playing solos that are concise but with a lovely tone and accompanied by classic poses as he tilts his head back and his Les Paul skywards. In the past I’ve likened their passion and full blooded approach to early Stereophonics or the Manics but on this night a friend made an equally valid Welsh comparison with the Alarm.

There was a change in approach, if not songwriting style as both ‘Save Me’ and ‘Grace’, which seems to have instantly become one of their classics, featured audience call and response with Wayne riffing on the theme of the ‘Rebel Club’ while ‘’Who Wants To be In Love Anyway’ was different with a spacey feel, and a longer solo from Chris. One of the few surviving old songs, ‘These Days’ was another trademark anthem then a rollicking ‘Divide and Conquer’ had a galloping rhythm before ‘It Was Beautiful’ had a rather more straight ahead rock feel than the U2-isms present on the record.

Continuing the theme of the evening, the encores were both also from ‘Where the Colours Meet’, in ‘Declining’ and ‘Let Me In’, another that has very swiftly established itself as a signature song with probably the best reception of the night. Perhaps because of quite how many new songs they were bedding in, not to mention dim lighting that did all the bands no favours, I have seen better Scarlet Rebels gigs before and will doubtless do so again. However, after yet another evening proving the depth of quality in the scene, the Scarlets have a wealth of strong songs in their armoury to continue their upward rise.

Review and Photos by Andy Nathan

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.
In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.

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Power Plays w/c 14 October 2024

ALT BLK ERA Come On Outside (indie)
THE NEW ROSES Hold Me Up (Napalm Records)
ROYALE LYNN Sacrifice (indie)
BLACK NOTE GRAFFITI The Source (Golden Robot Records)
ANNIE AND THE JAYS Too Shallow (indie)
JULIET’S NOT DEAD Open Fire (TMR Rock Records)

Featured Albums w/c 14 October 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 KINGS OF MERCIA Battle Scars (Metalville)
14:00-16:00 JON BODEN & THE REMNANT KINGS Parlour Moods (Hudson Records)