GENN
Dead Wax
Review by Jamie Connolly
Anyone at Dead Wax in Digbeth this Monday must have mistaken it for a Saturday night, such was the boundless energy that ĠENN brought to the stage. Perhaps I should have expected this, with the band name meaning ‘frenzy’ in the band’s native Maltese. It was only the morning of the gig when I was asked to come down and review it and I’m so glad I did as I’ve now discovered a new favourite band, as well as encountering a couple of promising local bands.
First up were Hamburger Momma. Having absolutely no idea what to expect from a band with such a unique name, they provided some indie rock with sweet, low-key vocals and a tight rhythm section. They only have one song on streaming services so far but I look forward to hearing more!
Ramping up the intensity somewhat was Oliver Beardmore and his band. The set was very much grounded in alternative rock with some welcome shoegaze influences. The final song, aptly named ‘Closer’, was a particular standout. It is also the closing track on Oliver’s debut EP, hopefully coming out very soon! The fact that this song along with other new ones upstaged a cover of the Radiohead classic ‘Fake Plastic Trees’ is a testament to how good the new material sounds. I have seen Oliver as a support act before and there’s no doubt in my mind that with the release of this EP that the band will be in high demand for headline sets not just in the Midlands area but beyond!
It was then time for a quick pint before ĠENN took to the stage. Now based in Brighton, the city is quickly becoming a hub for exciting, innovative post-punk with Squid and Egyptian Blue being big favourites of mine. Kicking off with a long instrumental intro which did a great job at setting the mood, lead vocalist Leona then made her way through the crowd and joined her bandmates. What followed was a set of post punk designed to get you moving, reminiscent of Sleater-Kinney and Dream Wife. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen such an energetic and infectious lead performance. This energy rubbed off on the rest of the band and it was clear to see how much they have missed the stage over the past year and a half.
One of the main things I’ve missed due to this enforced break is the interactions you can have with bands after shows. I was more than happy to add their 2021 EP ‘Liminal’ to my record collection and have a chat with them. I hope they enjoyed their time in Birmingham and can’t wait to see them back again soon!