As you’re walking down Oxford Street in Central London, you’ll see a lot of things. That big department store is there (for now, anyway – Ed). The guys trying to sell you all the London merchandise are there. What you didn’t find until now is the biggest and best in new music as approved by your friends here at Dork (that’s us!). Tonight – well – the streets of London are well and truly ours.
Our biggest Dork Night Out yet, we have our Indie Icons, beloved Hype List favourites, and one of the most exciting new bands on the planet. At the legendary 100 Club, it’s the talk of the town.
Opening up a night like this would phase many, but Priestgate aren’t just any band. Mixing a knack for intoxicating The Cure-esque melodies and in your face punk ferocity, they’re a band everyone should be rushing to see. As a wonderful tip of the hat to their upcoming’ Eyes Closed For The Winter’ EP, they’re both commanding and vulnerable.
A band that draws the listener in from the first note, no matter the surroundings. Frontman Rob is a presence of his own, diving into the crowd at one moment and throwing himself across the stage the next. Bedtime Story’ is a new-wave banger of the highest order, while the impending EP’s title track is a tangible call to arms. See them live. If you don’t, you’ll regret it – as they leave The 100 Club fully signed up to their growing gang.
Lime Garden are a band firmly on the tip of everyone’s tongues. Not just on our Hype List 2022, but at every show going. The packed 100 Club in front of them is a testament to that, as tracks like ‘Clockwork’, ‘Sick & Tired’ and ‘Pulp’ perfectly bounce and flow with all eyes firmly fixated on what they’ll do next. ‘Marbles’ may be their most joyous to date. Recalling stories of seeing Swim Deep for the first time when they were 14 makes tonight even more special. They aren’t asking us to just wait and see what they do next; they’re saying “come with!”. Don’t mind if we do…
Swim Deep‘s return feels like a genuinely celebratory moment. With nearly two and a half years in the rearview mirror since their last London headliner, there’s an added reality check of just what a unique band they are. A force in modern guitar music that doesn’t just rest on their (impeccable) laurels but continues to reinvent and pave a new path. With a new lease of life, thriving with creativity in a way that few can match, from opener ‘To Feel Good’ Austin Williams and the gang rip through a greatest hits set. Wide-eyed daydreaming of cuts like ‘The Sea’, ‘One Great Song Could Change The World’, ‘To My Brother’ and ‘Happy As Larrie’ crunch, groove and fly in a way no other band would. ‘Honey’ erupts like a national anthem, and by the time ‘She Changes The Weather’ twinkles, there are tears of joy.
It’s not all about what came before, though. ‘Big Green Apple’ and ‘On The Floor’ – both taken from the band’s new ‘Familiarise Yourself With Your Nearest Exit’ EP – point to an equally bright future. The latter stands as a swirling indie banger of the highest order, with fellow Dork’s Night Out alumni Phoebe Green joining the band on stage. As they round out their set with ‘King City’ blaring and Austin surfing aloft in the crowd – it’s a statement of intent. A band of undeniable importance, they remind us that there’s a whole lot more to come.
Now, does anyone know what time the giant American Candy store opens? Anyone? Till the next time, 100 Club…
