It seems strange to me that a pub of this size has the stage in the least accessible area, however this said the intimacy suited Brighton/Portsmouth based two piece Curxes with their dark electro sounds.
Haunting female vocals ring out over the top of pre-programmed synth beats, whilst the live bass lines give them a sound which is less pop oriented than that of many like-minded acts.
Latest single “Spectre” shows Curxes at their best, with a slightly more industrial edge showing just what these two are capable of producing. Little crowd interaction left the artistic visuals to make the performance all the more mysterious and intriguing, and after a great set the abrupt ending meant it was time for Wolf Alice to take the stage.
Wolf Alice’s performance was more conventional than the nights’ openers but this didn’t make them any less enjoyable – if anything it was a nice contrast to the evening, as they performed tracks reminiscent of the Breeders tonight also saw Wolf Alice air a couple of newer tunes, faster drumming and louder guitars working well alongside the more sedate numbers where the powerful vocals were more the focal point.
There are a number of appearances booked in the summer, and as such Wolf Alice are likely to gain much exposure, and if this was your first time of seeing them be sure to tell your festival friends friend’s what they can expect…
So with Pie & Vinyl firmly on the map as Southsea’s only independent record store, and with live music and DJ’s spinning everything from MGMT to Roy Orbison, maybe it’s time the Registry should rethink the layout of the pub and open themselves up to making events like these even bigger and better.
Mr Teeth
