Photo Credit: Ola Hac
Words: Ariana Boga

Known for their infectious hooks and arena-ready sound, The Covasettes have evolved from a university passion project into one of the most formidable forces in the modern British indie scene. Comprised of frontman, Chris Buxton, lead guitarist, Matt Hewlett, bassist, Jamie McIntyre, Matt Buckley on drums, and newest addition, Lizzie Wenninger on keys and violin, The Covasettes have perfected their polished melodic indie-rock sound, soon to be showcased on their upcoming album, ‘Honeymoon Forever’, which releases on 10th April.

The night opened with Portsmouth-born Harvey Jay Dodgson who instantly commanded the room’s attention, blending defiant guitar riffs with raw and deep-cutting lyricism, such as in his track ‘Kids on the Firing Line’ – a powerful exploration into socio-politics, and its effects on a young generation. The singer played a selection of new tracks, all with infectious fast-paced choruses, precision, and punch, before following with a crowd-focussed track titled, ‘Freedom’.

The Cheap Thrills came next, with their unapologetic groove and Liverpudlian charm, persuading the crowd to chant lyrics from tracks such as ‘Calypso Blue’, which features heartfelt, introspective lyrics to showcase their versatility as a quartet before playing ‘Walton Vale’ – a nod to the band’s hometown and the title of their newest release. Next was the aptly named ‘Party’ in which the band skyrocketed the energy in the 500-capacity venue, with the audience chanting lyrics such as ‘we’re not going, going, going home’. This cemented their impact as a band that not only play to audiences but create a unique kind of collective adrenaline rush. Their set concluded with the beloved fan-favourite ‘Codependence’, described by frontman, Lewis Pike, as a song about ‘looking after each other’ and this powerful declaration to the audience was the perfect way to finish before the final act of the night.

Photo Credit: Ola Hac

Soundtracked by ‘Mr Brightside’, The Covasettes took to the stage and opened with ‘Watching You’ – their newest release. The crowd was buzzing while the band’s charismatic frontman, Chris Buxton, boasted about the privilege of playing “Sheffield on a Saturday night”. After following with ‘Twit Twoo’ a playful, flirty track that features on the band’s 2019 EP, the band gave a special shoutout to their previous bus driver, Dave, who was greeted with a huge round of applause when he appeared onstage and was granted a ‘true rock and roll experience’, in the words of Chris Buxton. 

A defining characteristic of The Covasettes is their unrelenting energy that can’t help but get whole crowds moving, such as during ‘Plastic Gold’ and ‘This Feeling’, in which Buxton joined the audience in the pit. Both featured powerhouse riffs from the band’s lead guitarist and melodic backbone, Matt Hewlett. 

The band went right back where they started with, ‘She Is’, giving the fan-favourite a big send off, before retiring it from live shows to make room for newer tracks on future tours. Harvey Jay Dodgson was welcomed back onstage shortly after to join the band for a cover of The Verve’s ‘Bitter Sweet Symphony’, featuring Lizzie Wenninger’s rendition of the iconic orchestral strings of the classic hit. 

The band built the anticipation surrounding their upcoming album by playing the unreleased title track, ‘Honeymoon Forever’ before beginning the encore with the electrifying, ‘Be Mine’ that boasts an impressive 3.5 million Spotify streams.

Just before closing with ‘Top Drawer’, frontman, Chris Buxton, showered the crowd with appreciation, delighting in the fact that he couldn’t ‘see the back of the room’ – a representation of the band’s growth from a small flat in Manchester to sold-out shows. From the nostalgic nods to their Manchester roots to the high-octane previews of ‘Honeymoon Forever’, the night served as a triumphant bridge between where the band has been and the indie-pop royalty they are destined to become. The promise of a spectacular ‘Sheffield Saturday Night’ had been fully realised, proving beyond doubt that the band’s legacy is only just getting started.

Photo Credit: Ola Hac @ Birmingham O2 Institute