Sunday saw the long-awaited Bodega headline set from local Nottingham boys Distant Blue, supported by fellow Nottingham bands Ateraxi and Black Shiver, all combining to create an evening filled with loud and unstoppable rock music.
Starting the night off were Ateraxi who first came onto the Nottingham scene earlier this year and are kicking up a storm with their raw and raucous live set, which set the bar high for the rest of the night and made it very clear to the audience that this particular Sunday would not be a quiet one. The three-piece donning matching boiler suits combined fierce rock with powerful screams and shouts, and they saw the venue filling up as they brought their piece to a close.
Next to take to the stage were Nottingham duo Black Shiver, who continued to maintain the high impact of a powerful rock and roll set which filled the room with excitement and activity. Frontman Joe Smith alongside drummer Jack Mellor filled the stage with their catchy melodies which ring with influences from the likes of Foals and Royal Blood. Even when they premiered a song that they had only just written that week, it went down a storm with the crowd and further demonstrated the pair’s musical talent and craftsmanship. They ended their set with their top hit If Looks Could Kill which left the crowd ready for the final act of the evening.
"The combination of Ed, Peter, Kieran and Jack exploded sound through the crowd - the result was endless mosh pits which engulfed the entirety of the floor."
In a dramatic start to Distant Blue’s show, lead singer Ed Binding started perched on top of the Bodega’s speaker and launched into what was now guaranteed to be an incredible set to end the night. The combination of Ed, Peter, Kieran and Jack exploded sound through the crowd - the result was endless mosh pits which engulfed the entirety of the floor and saw almost every member of the crowd getting involved. Audience members were screaming back the lyrics to Distant Blue’s songs continuously and it was obvious how grateful the boys were with the audience’s enthusiasm and love for their performance.
"The night was a celebration of the Nottingham alternative rock scene and the talented musicians who are currently smashing through any hurdles in their way."
Highlights of the set included brand new song Opiate which premiered on BBC Music Introducing in the East Midlands on the Saturday night before the show and received good reactions in its live debut at Bodega. Distant Blue expertly combined their mixture of pop, punk and rock with a twist of humour that engrossed the audience and left them calling for more when it was announced that Lucid Liar would be their final song of the evening.
Overall, the night was not only an enjoyable one, but also a celebration of the Nottingham alternative rock scene and the talented musicians who are currently smashing through any hurdles in their way. Distant Blue continue to populate Nottingham line-ups so it would be foolish not to go down to one of their shows and see them in an intimate venue. They continue their UK mini-tour through to Birmingham on the 21st, Leeds on the 29th and ending in Sheffield on the 15th December, but we can be certain to see them back in Nottingham heading into the new year, if not before.
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