Review by: Jessie Millward & Aidan Davies Photo Credit: @Photo.Hog
Birmingham based Lauren Hoyle has burst back onto the scene with her new EP released this year. Her cheeky stage presence lured the room under her spell at The Victoria Birmingham as she performed each track effortlessly. Hoyle is joined onstage with her band, Patrick on bass, Ella on drums, with the front woman playing guitar herself. The baby blue guitar is synonymous with her euphonious tones and a stark contrast to the cacophonous ear worms that are her captivating messages to the world. Hoyle had us hanging on every lyric, with her honest and relatable tales. Each song has a story to tell and candidly shares her journey over the past few years. Compelling lyrics and alluring stage presence is not all that Hoyle has to offer. Tracks ‘Hate me first’ and ‘Fun’ have unforgettable hooks that will infiltrate your consciousness and live rent free in your mind. The title track ‘Fun’ lives up to its name, having you practically sit next to her on those ever familiar ups and downs on the rollercoaster of life.
‘Paramita’ released in 2019 has you longing for the summer and a definite sing along for any car journey psyching you up for the day ahead or winding down after a hard day at work. However, it is ‘Where are my friends?’ that resonates with me the most. At an age where some are getting married and having children it is easy to feel like you’re left behind in the good old days, but who is there to enjoy it with you? With confidence and charisma like hers, every audience member is left gravitating towards her- and most importantly, craving more.
Lauren Hoyle is easily one to watch, not only live, but strap in and witness her talents continue to soar.
Headliners Mouth Culture swarmed onto the stage in numbers and hit the crowd with upbeat song after song. The floor was awash with fans who had travelled to come and see these boys play. Fans arrived early and stayed till late to take in the atmosphere and mingle with the band members who embraced their enthusiasm. Mouth Culture had travelled from Leicester to play at The Victoria, Birmingham then going on to perform in Manchester the following night. It is abundantly clear that they have followers up and down the country who are turning out in numbers to support.
Eye catching merch draped the walls of the room with vintage style orange cassettes for sale (Only available on tour). These lads are here to be noticed and stand out from the crowd. If their cassette ‘These days mixtape’ is as strong as their live performance then I am sure that they will continue to thrive.
