Live Review

The Belair Lip Bombs level up at London's Scala

Melbourne quartet The Belair Lip Bombs have had quite the few months. Their second album, ‘Again’, broke them into a new echelon, out of the Aussie shoegaze scene and into a globally exciting rock prospect. Tonight, they play a sold-out show at London’s Scala – their biggest headliner yet, and at a venue befitting their classic rock roots.

Words:Ciaran Picker

Photos:Michal Gradziel

Following two supports who firmly fit into the category of ‘Big Futures Ahead’ – namely slacker-rock sensation Trout and post-punk quintet Ain’t – the venue is jam-packed of Lip Bombs fans made impatient through expectation.

The first thing to say is that guitarist Mike Bradvica has broken his foot, so the band take the stage in a more subdued way than you may expect them to, given the size of this gig in the context of their career to date. Really, though, this more laidback, nonchalant charm only enhances the show, mirroring their sun-soaked, slouchy sound.

That’s not to say that there isn’t they don’t bring a boatload of energy to their show, with opening track ‘Again and Again’ blasting to life as vocalist Maisie Everett’s repeated refrain is bounced back at her by an audience making it known that they’re with them all the way. These new tracks have been out for less than a month at the time of this show, but you’d think they were 70s classics from the knowledge of the crowd, cheering at the start of ‘Back of My Hand’ and ‘Price of a Man’. There are times when it seems as though Maisie has forgotten the words, but really, it’s her stifling a shining smile at just how well tonight is going.

Their fans’ enthusiasm only spurs the band on, bringing tracks from their moody, grungy 2023 debut, ‘Lush Life’, into this new era with cleaner edges, loftier tones, and a good dose of self-confidence in their choice of new direction. ‘Gimme Gimme’, ‘Stay or Go’, and ‘Look The Part’ all soar into the Scala stalls, before ‘Again’-era fan favourite ‘Hey You’ bursts through the roof and into the starry sky. It’s evidence not only that the quartet can write an indie-rock anthem, but also that Scala won’t be their biggest headliner for long.

After this, Maisie channels her inner Billy Joel, setting herself up behind a keyboard for a joyously jaunty rendition of ‘Cinema’ and a cover of The Clash’s ‘Train in Vain’, one which drummer Daniel ‘Dev’ Devlin admits they’ve only played “a handful of times”; “by a handful, he means twice”, Maisie quickly adds. The panache with which they play it, though, you’d be forgiven for thinking it was one of their own.

“Now, normally we’d go off and come back on, but Mike can’t move,” bassist Jimmy Droughton smirks, “so this is our encore”. Mike only looks marginally embarrassed but quickly sets that to one side as he guides the band through ‘Don’t Let Them Tell You (It’s Fair’, the cherry on top of a fairly substantial Belair Lip Bombs cake. Rapturous applause ensues until long after the band have left the stage, and the blinding house lights burst back on, a sign that this is no ‘flash in the pan’ (to quote ‘Again and Again’). Tonight is proof, as if it was needed, that The Belair Lip Bombs are the real deal.

The Belair Lip Bombs level up at London's Scala

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