poppedmusic

The Waiting Room, London – 29.03.2024

Words & Photos: Amy Butcher

Brighton based band Fond of Rudy have got off to an exciting start to the year with the release of their EP Two, and leading single Infatuation. Taking inspiration from the likes of The 1975, it is a collection of indie pop songs with layers of carefully placed sounds woven together to create groovy, sparkling melodies for the listener. Standing in the intimate venue, The Waiting Room, we were so excited to see Fond of Rudy bring these to life live.

First though, we were treated to an intriguing support slot from Pivots, who were playing their first ever show as a band in the UK. The set featured their debut single Residues and other unreleased work like She Wears It Well.

Nods to Bloc Party and Klaxons were present in their sound with jarring fast paced guitar riffs, frantic tight drum beats and great recorded bass lines (the band are still looking for a bassist, anyone interested?). Pivots’ high energy and stage presence really got the crowd dancing and engaged; they gelled well together and it was clear there was a passion in the playing.

After a stellar warm up, it was time for Fond of Rudy to delight us with their twinkling sound. With bright colourful lights on stage, adorning fun patterned shirts, they entered to a loud cheer before launching into their set. 22 was one of the first tracks; a synth led, jangly guitar filled dream pop experience that left the crowd wanting more.

From there it was a blur of cheers, dancing and a happy energy that ran through each track they performed. From the shining playful guitar melodies to the rhythmic drum fills, Fond of Rudy’s infectious personality shined through during the hour they had with us. You could truly see the appreciation for the attendees support, which enveloped their crowd interactions and performance.

A personal highlight was when singer Matt explained ‘This is another new unreleased song of ours’ and the opening bars to Rick Astley’s Never Gonna Give You Up begun. They had Rick rolled us, in the best way, and the audience reaction was phenomenal; there wasn’t one person not moving and singing along to the infamous tune.

It’s clear this band have a fan base brewing in London, and we can’t wait to see where they go next!

Listen to Fond of Rudy’s new EP here: