I’ve honestly lost count of how many times I’ve seen (and reviewed) Femur since I barged my way into a sweaty upstairs room at Shakespeare’s at the end of Tramlines in 2021.
That Saturday night, Femur laid down a blistering set, and each gig since then has lived up to that weighty expectation, which meant I was slightly concerned I might have run out of nice things to say about them this time. With that in mind, I’ve instead decided to begin this review with some frank criticism: Pressingly, Eddie’s Under Armour shorts.
Sweaty, topless and rocking football shorts, guitarist Eddie Burks is giving changing rooms after the cup final – it’s deffo a look.
Seriously though, fashion advice aside (who are we to weigh in on matters of sartorial faux pas, eh?), over the last couple of years Femur have been sharply tailored into a mature, razor-sharp, venue-pounding experience that isn’t just a passing trend.
More on Femur later, though, as they’re not the only band jumping out off tonight’s bill.
It’s a crisp spring evening as we arrive at Crookes Social Club, and with apologies to opening act Junk – who I only caught the final track of – it’s The Pearl River band who have piqued our interest and enticed us out early.
You might recognise a few familiar faces here: chiefly Luke Thompson, who fronts Sheffield band Any Old Iron, and drummer Benji Wilson, better known as @jamburrito – photographer and all-round class act.
What’s immediately striking, before they even hit a note, is that they all look the part. Without getting back on the fashion critique (what is this, Vogue?), they’re probably the best-dressed band in the city – not a pair of footy shorts in sight.
Anyway, the look reflects the sound. Both are unashamedly ‘70s rock and psych-influenced. There’s also a fairly obvious (read: lazy) comparison, but I’m going to make it anyway, to Fleetwood Mac.
That comparison mostly stems from the vocal talent of Margo Osbaldiston, whose powerful voice commands attention above deep, fuzzy guitar riffs and driving beats, knitting the band’s malevolent, stomping hooks together.
When Luke and Margo’s vocals work in tandem, it creates some genuinely special moments. They’re good. Go see ’em.
Next up are cheeky pop-punksters April Tapes. It’s a bit of a genre leap: gone are the ‘70s, making way for grunge-inflected pop punk from the Sheffield/Chesterfield four-piece. Once the initial whiplash settled, the band seemed to settle too.
The dual male/female lead vocals – shared between the impossibly fresh-faced guitarist and bassist – interchange neatly, and there’s even a brief nod to Folsom Prison along the way. Ones to watch, for sure.
And then it’s the turn of our main attraction this evening: the irrepressible Femur.
As ever, tonight they are as tight as your da when it’s his round, and as much fun as your ma when she’s had a few.
However, aside from the crowds response to our football-short-wearing guitarist’s cajoling to put our hands in the air, fingers wiggling like some unhinged nursery rhyme – I initially thought the crowd felt a little subdued.
It turned out I was just so far forward I’d missed the circle pit forming behind me. Eventually it engulfed us, and by the time we reached 2022 banger I Don’t Like, we were right in the thick of it.
Shout-out, too, to latest single One Last Dance, which taps into that same driving fuzz bass, dancey beats and Balkan-tinged riffs – another ready-made mosh-pit stomper.
The cherry on top, for me, was an encore of Comeback Kid, absent from more recent sets I’d seen and a very welcome return – a fitting way to leave the pints and pits behind and spill out into the cool spring night.
