poppedmusic

Jordan Allen

Zanzibar, Liverpool

Words: Cat Lewis
Photos: Fi Carroll

Having been a spectator at many a This Feeling gig I knew the line up for tonight would not disappoint. The first band of the evening were Strangers, a young local trio who kicked off the night with a strong set of grungy guitar riffs, strong bass lines and catfish style vocals. Having recently listened to the release of their new EP ‘The Demo Tape’, I was excited to hear how this would transpire on stage.  Dressed in matching Hawaiian shirts, the lads certainly looked the part and their sound helped set the standard for the night. If you haven’t checked them out already I would highly recommend adding these to your next playlist.

Ty Freeman were up next – as being previously compared to a mix of Led Zepplin and Nick Cave I was really looking forward to seeing what they had to offer. From the off these guys set the standard. The raspy yet somewhat seductive vocals grabbed the attention of the crowd and their effortless performance had everyone hooked. A surprising turn of events was at the end of the set when Ty showed the audience his vocal range with a number of screams – this was my highlight of their entire set.

Next up was Cabezudos, a firm favourite at Popped.  Frontman Jack’s charisma alongside the gritty vocals always makes for a good show. Their new single ‘Calling your Name was the highlight of the night. The catchy bass line and trumpet backing was difficult not to move along to. The crowd had doubled in size and every single person was captivated by the performance. It was good to see Jack’s signature jacket and leather pants making an appearance as what’s a Cabezudos’ show without them? Once again these guys are taking festival season by storm so if you see them on the bill, get down to the front you will not be disappointed.

The headliners Jordan Allen are taking the world by storm. With gigs such as Isle of Wight and numerous plays on Radio X these lads are going places. From their performance, it’s not difficult to see why.  They had the look, the sound and the energy to get every single person in that room bouncing. The rough, indie vocals project passion along with the catchy guitar riffs that you can’t help but sing along to. My favourite song of the night ‘R.O.S.I.E.’ got the crowd moving and halfway through the set Jordan joined the audience for a dance.  The fact he managed to get the entire audience down on the floor of the Zanzibar was impressive enough. Their new single ‘Synchronised’ is available on Spotify and this has already been added to every one of my playlists. Jordan Allen were the perfect way to kick off any Friday Night!