Photo Credit: Tom Sunderland
Just a few weeks into the new term, universities across the UK played their part in hosting the Punchbag tour, with the Sheffield venue Sidney & Matilda and organisers Music Culture Sheffield bringing Manchester grunge-inspired outfit VILLANELLE to the steel city for a night filled with riffs, tasteful vocals and powerful beats.
Chesterfield quartet APRIL TAPES made their stance in Sheffield once again, serving as the ideal warm-up ahead of their biggest headline show in November in the same venue. The room was already filling up nicely for them, with stand out tracks ‘Reyt Good’ and ‘Cactus Flower’ with the latter giving bassist Bethan Evans’ vocals the real shine they deserve. A real energetic local band to get the crowd warmed up is always a welcomed addition whatever the show.
As the clock struck ten, the Manchester band made their way on to the stage. The crowd cheered in excitement, while VILLANELLE were straight faced and ready for business. Launching into ‘Measly Means’, Gallagher displayed a blend of vocals, with a higher pitched chorus, back to a more mellow voice. Swiftly following up with ‘Lazy’ and ‘Opportunity Rising’, the lack of unreleased material didn’t hinder the Sheffield audiences excitement for their set. Each track was met with a roaring applause, as the band wasted no time in smashing through their forty minute performance.
Their debut single ‘Hinge’ is easily their most heaviest across the set, which saw the crowd become further involved and even some were seen singing along. Rounding off their return to the steel city with ‘Pretty One’ and finally ‘Placebo’, VILLANELLE’s absence from Sheffield in almost 2 years was worth the wait, even for a short but sweet performance.
Taped Magazine 