The Underclass are a band who have bagged some phenomenal support slots in their short time together, which is a testament to how far they’re set to go in the industry. From Tom Clarke and Kyle Falconer, to The K’s and The Sherlocks. And on Friday, June 30, the atmosphere was electric – the crowd buzzing with anticipation – for their headline show at The Underground, Hanley.
The intimate show made way for a line up of exciting acts and a diverse range of sounds, including our own Lissy Taylor, out-of-towners Mimosa and local newcomers, Genius of the Crowd.
Kicking off the night with Watch It Burn was Genius of the Crowd, a relatively new band on the local scene fronted by charismatic lead vocalist, Matt Frederick. The band defies genres with a winning combination of poetic anarchy and hard-edged riffs, with a post-punk indie feel.
The five-piece first performed live at Caverswall Carsa Fest last month, followed by Newcastle’s The Rigger, warming up to open for The Underclass support slot. Already their stage presence is already that of seasoned musicians, stomping through Take Control and Hurt Just The Same before an impressive cover of Fontaines DC’s Televised Mind – whom the band cite as one of their biggest influences.
Their sound is tight and cohesive, with emotion-filled riffs and gritty guitar tones, all tied up with a rock and roll approach. They concluded their powerhouse set with their poignant debut single, I Won’t, released earlier that day, which delves into the mental health crisis and strain on the NHS amid a rising cost of living – you can keep an eye out for a full review of that over on The Leopheard this week. Overall it was a strong city debut, quickly winning over the crowd through working class political and social themes, thumping bass lines and riotous percussion.
Hailing from Sheffield was Mimosa, another rock and roll quintet who formed during the pandemic, opening their set with All The Time. They took to the stage with bags of confidence, rattling tambourines and cans of Stella Artois.
With Steel City links come comparisons to the likes of Arctic Monkeys and Pulp, wasting no time reeling through Do What Ya Do, My Mind and Stick Around, since they weren’t planning on doing the latter due to the ‘long drive home’.
So Pretty showcased their personalities the most as they laughed on stage, playing up to video cameras, before going into Contagious, written post-pandemic about the peculiar time which we collectively endured, closing with Good To See Your Face before making their swift exit back home to the North.
Pocket rocket Lissy Taylor stepped into the spotlight next, starting with one of her most popular hits, She’s A Stunner. Lissy has a knack for an empowering feminist chorus and melodic guitars – the fact she was the only female on stage all night didn’t seem to phase her at all.
Paired with her dainty vocals and edgy look, it’s evident that she’s a force to be reckoned with as she continued with her 2022 releases Healer, Carefree and Young.
Between tracks, the singer-songwriter is witty as she chats with the audience, telling them brief backstories as she introduces each single. Her powerful vocals and infectious energy shone through in Fierce – which quickly became a fan favourite – closing with two brand new tracks, Life Changing and Feel For Me, the latter of which is due out this month on July 21.
With this fresh material, Lissy seems to be moving into a grungier sound, bringing even more energy, more emotion and more excitement to her live shows.
Finally, The Underclass brought their brand of infectious indie rock to The Underground stage. This young band is determined to make a name for themselves and their passion and talent were evident in every note they played. I’ve been fortunate enough to watch this four-piece grow since their 2018 inception when they were mere teens, and watching them develop into a blossoming rock-ready act of twenty-somthings has been a real joy.
Jorge is a brilliant frontman, taking a nonchalant approach with Liam Gallagher swagger, and as the crowd’s chanting suggested ‘there’s only one Jorge Wilson’, very much looking the part with his shades and shaven head.
Entering the stage to Dick and Dom’s Stoke-on-Trent song, they immediately erupted into For You, transitioning quickly into Mixed Feelings and Faint Lines. Drawing inspiration from icons like Richard Ashcroft and Stoke’s own Slash, their music embodies the spirit of indie rock, with vibrant melodies and captivating guitar solos.
Very unfortunately, the set did see some gremlins in the system with some technical issues but nothing could have brought down the mood on Morley Street, with cans of Red Stripe held high, as fans sat on the shoulders of other gig-goers through recent singles Time and Fate and The One.
More chants of ‘Under, Under, Under-fucking-class’ ensued after Bad Dreams when they band momentarily headed off stage, before Jorge returned alone to start the encore with Home, but not without giving an ernest speech about being so proud to be from Stoke-on-Trent. To some, it might be considered a ‘shithole’, but it’s our shithole, and from the dust and the rubble rises bands like The Underclass and Genius of the Crowd, artists like Lissy Taylor and all of the phenomenal talent we’ve seen here reviewed on The Leopheard.
The encore buzzed on with the return of the full band, through Prototype and Yesterday’s People before a cacophonous conclusion of Hometown, a track that really resonated with the crowd, who eagerly sang along and danced to the infectious rhythm.
A night where local emerging artists showed respect, passion and talent, The Underground proved once again why it is a hub for up and coming acts that fosters community and collaboration, and a place where music lovers can discover their new favourite bands.
Read more:
- The Underclass release shoegazey summer-ready single Time and Fate
- Your City Festival 2023 – reflecting on a weekend of diversity, passion and homegrown musical talent
- Kira Mac provides stunning display of rock mastery in sold-out Sugarmill headline
