Blanketman
The Sunflower Lounge
Review by Ethan Pennington-Treanor
Hi Indie Midlands! I’m Ethan, I’m new to this so go easy on me. I had the pleasure this week of going to my first gig back at the beloved Sunflower Lounge for a headline show from Blanketman. Let me tell you what I thought;
Over the course of lockdown I had somewhat of a personal epiphany. We’re not here forever, and god forbid we going into ANOTHER lockdown, I need to start appreciating all kinds of music that there is to be enjoyed. That said, I never thought I’d be enjoying so many at the same time. Blanketman look like the cast of your favourite 80s movie started a rock band. I was excited but not quite ready for what I was in for.
The band’s sound was unlike anything I’d ever heard, combining elements of 90s indie, psychedelic and progressive rock, folk, dance & electronic. Their lyrics ranged from politics, love, emotion and just straight up sing-along bangers. The instrumentals carried many elements, most notably complex bass and drum patterns, matched with a melodic lead guitar and synth line. The vocals were surprisingly aggressive but engaging for what I considered to be a mostly indie influenced sound.
The crowd was also a new experience for me. A significant lack in mosh pits, replaced by the fact that the entire audience seemed to be zoned into the music, dancing with themselves, almost similar to a rave atmosphere but a bit more wholesome. I found myself wanting to dance at times but didn’t want to jump in the crowd and disturb the vibe they seemed to have going on.
Overall I was pleasantly surprised and intrigued by Blanketman. I’ll definitely be catching them next time they’re in town, you should too.