REVIEW: Red Rum Club @ Brighton Music Hall 4/28
Review by: Michelle Leung
Riding on the wave of their recent chart-toppers, Red Rum Club’s unique alternative indie band instrumentation and spunk have returned to this side of the pond. Kicking off with the very first stop of their North American Tour, the Liverpool quintet hit the stage at Boston’s Brighton Music Hall, and dedicated fans showed up in droves.
But first, the South London rock band Ollie Gullick & The Lads filed onto stage with a palpable excitable energy, featuring members Ollie Gullick on vocals, Colin Lillich on guitar, Leo Birkin on keyboard, Alex Reeves on drums, Jack Helfer on bass, Andrew Schuler and Cooper Swartzentruber on saxophone. The septet jumped right into “Can You Keep A Secret?.” They transitioned into two unreleased songs where both saxophonists got to shine with expansive solos, followed by “Sushi!.”
Gullick, who hails from Berklee, was extremely comfortable onstage, dancing in a black blazer, silver tie, shorts, and knee-high boots. He was an animated, bubbly performer, leading the performance effortlessly with exaggerated expressions and intense eye contact with the audience.
Before their final track, “Turn Around and See,” Gullick gave his tambourine to a young boy, expressing that he’s the youngest person who’s ever been to any of their shows. Gullick shouted out Lillich’s rousing electric guitar solo, lamenting their final Boston show together as the latter is set to graduate from university. Overall, Ollie Gullick & The Lads injected a particular buzz into the crowd, who cheered enthusiastically and generously throughout the set, unable to tear their eyes from the stage.
Red Rum Club needed no introduction, with Francis Doran on vocals, Tom Williams and Michael McDermott on guitar, Simon Hepworth on bass, and Neil Lawson on drums stalking coolly onto stage. Member Joe “the Blow’’ Corby’s departure was announced the day before the start of Red Rum Club’s American tour, following a long ten-year stint, six albums, and huge arena tours. Fans voiced shock and disappointment that the trumpet player would no longer be contributing his distinctive timbre. That night, to stand in for Corby, the band was joined by Eli Younger, who played some undeniably fantastic trumpet riffs and held his own.
The band started with the high-energy “Buck,” with Doran stealing all eyes until they entered an interlude highlighting Younger’s trumpet and Williams’ electric guitar. Pulling back with a more lighthearted song, “American Nights & English Mornings,” the band ruminated on the difficulties and exhaustion of navigating a long-distance relationship between partners in different time zones.
Their next song “Undertaker,” featured Red Rum Club’s signature “Mariachi Merseybeat” sound, which blends rock-pop with melodic brass-heavy hooks. This unique style shone through with the help of a tambourine and soaring trumpet flourishes. They continued into “Afternoon,” then “Eleanor” before finally addressing the crowd. “We’ve got another hour together, let’s make the most of it!,” announced Doran.
The band utilized a mix of electric and acoustic guitar, switching often and adding different warmer colors to each song’s tone depending on the specific combination. As the audience hooted and hollered, Red Rum Club flowed into the love song “Daisy,” featuring lyrics such as: “If you fall for my charms / You can fall asleep in my arms / Consider myself redeemed.”
The next songs “Wild,” “Animal,” “Call Me On Your Comedown,” and “Crush, TX” came off their newest album, “BUCK,” which peaked at number seven on the UK Official Albums chart last September.
Red flashing lights dazzled the crowd as they jumped and danced to the driving bassline, the push of the drums, and the trumpet melodies. The band wasn’t much for talking, much preferring to barrel straight through their setlist.
Next up came “Kids Addicted” and the groovy “Vibrate,” which boasts a fantastic hook. “Black Cat” and “Hole In My Home” finished out the main set, and the crowd was actively encouraged to join in and sing the latter’s titular chorus, which repeated as more fans took part in the wholesome moment.
When Red Rum Club briefly hopped offstage, the audience began their own rousing vamp, singing the melody of “Hole In My Home” until the members reappeared and performed the stripped-back, acoustic “Eighteen.” Then came “Would You Rather Be Lonely,” the band’s most-streamed track on Spotify with over 5.3 million listens. The song has quite the following of its own, with fans at previous concerts singing its refrain between setlist numbers. During “Angeline,” Doran motioned for everyone to get low, before leaping up as the roaring trumpet and powerful drums kicked back in.
The band’s final song was “Vanilla,” a certified crowd pleaser with its addictive main melody and titular repetition. The audience took advantage of the final song to get crazy. Disco ball lights shimmered into the crowd, coming from offstage and adding a mystical element. Doran finally introduced the members of the band before running back one last resounding refrain of “Vanilla,” warmly inviting fans to chat at a bar after the show came to an end.
Red Rum Club undoubtedly holds its own in the US, ramping up a crowd with their formidable combination of heavy bass and brass hooks that makes the band’s music so eccentric. The band holds a gritty, undeniable spark and clear love for their music and fans, and with the departure of Corby, the band has definitively begun a new chapter of their sound and future discography.