Independent Venue Week: Bribes @ EBGBS, Seel Street 31/01/2018

Independent Venue Week continued with three of Liverpool’s loudest bands taking over EBGBS on Wednesday night.

Bribes in the midst of a thrilling set at EBGBS. Photo courtesy Marta Silva.

EVOL had put together three of Liverpool’s most exciting acts as part of Independent Venue Week, with The Boston Shakers and Three From Above supporting Bribes.

The Boston Shakers diverse set up was an explosive start to the night. The combination of rock, rap and electronic was a thing of beauty that was booming with raw energy. Singing about drugs, life and all the good things that come with it, the charismatic band left you breathless with their high tempo of rip-roaring guitars and electronic beats.

The Boston Shakers started the night in emphatic style. Photo courtesy Marta Silva

A unique moment during their set was their adaptation of Kasabian’s classic ‘Club Foot’, rather than simply covering it, they took parts and mixed it with their own sound and made it their own. The Boston Shakers left the stage with people shouting out for an encore, setting the standard high for the other acts to follow.

Amongst the chatter while the crowd waited for Three From Above to start, suddenly a booming voice echoed around the basement of EBGBS. What sounded like music for a propaganda video by the USSR during the Cold War turned everyone’s heads to the stage.

From that moment on, Three From Above had everyone’s attention until they were done. In an adrenaline-pumping set, their sound was akin to early a more aggressive young Arctic Monkeys. Each member showcased their talents with captivating guitar solos to hypnotic drum beats.

Each song they performed took you on a journey with infectious melodies and an in-your-face persona from frontman Tom Collins. The whole set was an example of just how good indie can be.

Three From Above mid-set during Independent Venue Week. Photo courtesy Marta Silva

Bribes closed the night out with explosive riffs and ground-shaking bass. It was a masterclass in how to put on a rock show. Oozing with confidence, the trio’s aggressive rock showed why bands like Electric Six want them to open their shows.

With a “get on with it” attitude, Bribes let their music do the talking with little interaction with the crowd but as they say; actions speak louder than words.

When the band released their debut EP She Sings Blues, last May we said that they were songs that were made to be heard live. Having that chance on Wednesday night to finally hear them on stage, we weren’t wrong. Hearing the likes of ‘She Sings Blues’ and ‘Wild Creatures’, their thunderous performance was the perfect way to end the night.

Bribes frontman, Gary Wilson. Photo courtesy Marta Silva.

Their set came to a stunning end when they performed a new track that’s yet to be named. The untitled song showed that the best is yet to come from Bribes.

Now at the halfway mark of Independent Venue Week, Bribes left an appetite for more. With Generation, Bang Bang Romeo and of course Frank Turner, all still to come to EBGBS this week, there’s more than enough to satisfy that hunger.

All pictures courtesy of Marta Silva.