Invisible Wind Factory Substation, Liverpool
Saturday 31st March
Reviewed by Rob Harrison
Wow, Sunflower Bean explode on stage beginning with the glam stomper ‘Burn it’ cutting a swath through the red and blue lights and dry ice, which now enfolds the band In a profusion of colours.
Julia Cummings red lips and yellow hair adds another element of synthesia, contrasting against the black pillars of the Invisible Wind Factory. Meanwhile Nick Kelvins guitar blasts out post glam guitar riffs as, Julia joins him halfway through to rock out in a post feminist answer to the quo stance.
The band are here for the first time in Liverpool to promote the new album ’22 In Blue’ which is amazing and well worth checking out but works in a completely different way live.
In the live context you get a better idea of their roots or, more to the point, how they have taken classic rock styles and turned them around to create their own sound while at the same time making a new and fresh musical statement
It’s interesting that all the things which make the band good are highlighted in the live situation such as Nick’s brilliant solos, which he extends in true seventies fashion, Julia Cumming vocals become more raw and eclectic in a live context as well, Julia is an amazing communicator taking time to talk to the audience.
Another thing that is interesting about the band is that they communicate not just in terms of musicality but communicate a political stance too, something that also appears to have gone out of fashion.
Perhaps the reason for this is because they are so young, all twenty two-years-old, hence the album title. But they appear to disregard any pretext to punk Ideology, which states no guitar solos, don’t communicate to the audience, and so forth. They have decided to set about rewriting the rock rule book by themselves
So then a brilliant Liverpool debt for Sunflower Bean. Let’s hope they return soon. We need more bands like this to inspire us in these dark times.