Genre-bending, DIY outfit Tramp are currently in full swing of their UK ‘Yellow Car No Hit Backs’ tour. For their Birmingham leg of the tour, they hit up Muthers Studios with support from local favourites Trust Club.
After indulging in a couple of pre-gig drinks at The Anchor, we rush over to Muthers, desperate to get out of the biting cold that seems to have spread over Birmingham in the past week. Upon arrival, we are greeted by a cheerful group of Irish misfits, who we instantly recognise to be our headliners- Tramp. Chatting contently to the outfit and then briefly catching up with our friends at Trust Club, we become suddenly aware that tonight’s show may, in fact, be more intimate than originally expected: after all, it is a dim Tuesday evening in the middle of October.
The lights dim in the studio venue; cool tones of blue and purple striking the stage. Following a few late arrivals, Trust Club takes the stage. Immediately chatting away with the crowd, awkward and yet wholesome as always, Trust Club naturally warms up and welcomes the sparsely spread crowd. Trust Club have an effortless effect of turning the audience into their best mates from the get-go. Luscious curly locks flying about, teamed with a cap battling to stay in place, Trust Club dance on stage, throwing out signature pop-punk moves. There is something so inviting and euphoric about seeing Trust Club perform live; their gleeful grins and effortlessly fun set always makes for a satisfied crowd.
Full of character and charisma, Trust Club’s set is jam-packed with original tracks, particularly spotlighting their recent debut EP ‘This Is Trust Club’. Pop-punk anthems such as ‘Higher Hopes’ and ‘Blinding’ entertain and amuse the crowd, whilst allowing the outfit to relax and warm into their set. Trust Club’s sprightly personality radiates through in these tracks, and it’s refreshing to see a level of comfort and contentment take hold on stage. Ooh- Wee-Hoo I look just like Buddy Holly- and there we are: Weezer-ed by Trust Club on a typical Tuesday afternoon. Between original tracks, Trust Club breaks through with the iconic riff from Weezer’s ‘Buddy Holly’ followed by the hopelessly catchy lyrics- provoking a cacophony of laughter and cheers from the crowd. Tying off the end of their set with their debut single, ‘Unintelligent Behaviour’, Trust Club perfectly round off their performance making space for our headliners- Tramp.
Tramp head up on stage, graciously thanking Trust Club for warming up their spot, and then immediately plough straight into their performance. With immense professionalism and comfort on stage, Tramp appears well versed in the language of live shows. Although there is a level of jittery nerves, likely due to the sparse and hence intimate crowd, Tramp effortlessly captivates the audience with their interesting unique sound and theatrical approach.
Kicking off with their most recent released single ‘Snakes & Rabbits’, Tramp smoothly rolls through the track with vibrance and an unmatched energy. The outfit’s lead vocalist strikes through the serenading instrumentals, creating a lasting impression with distinctive intoxicating vocals. ‘Snakes & Rabbits’ is an undeniably perfected track, and it evident that the outfit have mastered playing the song live with upmost confidence and comfort. Following the well-recognised opening track, Tramp then plays an un-released (more mellowed-out) song called ‘Alien’. Jubilant, up-beat indie rhythms are combined superbly with the addition of a tambourine played by Tramp’s lead vocalist. This track whilst utilising indie attributes, seems to have wide folk influences, creating a fascinating sound that I, ultimately, feel that Tramp should explore and indulge in further.
Tramp sails effortlessly through their setlist with each track appearing to be a deep personal dive into the band’s inner most emotions and thoughts. Whilst intimate and personal, there is something majorly theatrical and immense about the way Tramp deliver their live performance: full of enthusiasm, drama and passion. With only 2 released songs so far, including ‘Snakes & Rabbits’ and ‘Frankenstein’, Tramp’s set is made up almost entirely of unreleased original tracks- this is so refreshing and makes for a totally immersive and captivating performance. A highlight of Tramp’s set had to be ‘Free, Safe, Legal’ a celebratory song for the decriminalisation of abortion in Northern Ireland- which you may not believe it, but only occurred in October 2019. Both hopelessly emotional and empowering, this track was a huge highlight of the night and is a renowned statement and example of Tramp’s extraordinary songwriting. The outfit pulled their set to an end with the iconic, intoxicating song that is ‘Junkie S.L.U.T’- still currently unreleased, however you can watch a live version of the track on Tramp’s YouTube.
You can listen to music from Trust Club and Tramp now on all streaming platforms.
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