Dingy music venues sometimes suit the bands that play in them, especially when it comes to new acts. The rough-and-ready sounds of upstart outfits often feels right at home within the confines of peeling paint, stone floors and a lingering smell of leaky toilets. This certainly can’t be said for Colouring’s performance at The Soup Kitchen earlier this week, though. From the moment this London quartet take to the stage, the raw juxtaposition of ‘basement bar’ and ‘polished sound’ couldn’t be more apparent. Perhaps they’re the exception to the rule.
However it wouldn’t be surprising. Forming in the wake of short-lived indie act Osca, Colouring have quickly made a name for themselves despite not yet having a full length album to their name. A few online releases of their electro-pop flavor earned them an avid following, something that was only bolstered by the release of Symmetry, a five track EP which contained a stripped back, ambient and highly addictive cover of Marvin Gaye’s “I Heard It Through The Grapevine”. Throw in a cushy support slot opening for The 1975 back in 2016 and their rise to the mainstream feels all but imminent.
If they’re aware of that though, they certainly don’t show it. Draped in a pale blue light (a colour that appears to be a motif linked to the imminent release of their debut record), frontman Jack Kenworthy remains cautiously optimistic throughout tonight’s all-too-brief set. A selection of Symmetry tracks showcase the band’s diversity of tone, from the synth-pop of “In Motion” and the EP’s title track, to the delicate finger clicks of “Heathen” and piano notes of “Everything Has Grown”. All of the above come together for some as-yet-unreleased tracks from the band’s upcoming album, giving attendees a glimpse at their exciting next steps.
Those here to bask in a live performance of that Marvin Gaye cover were left disappointed. Instead the band decide to pay tribute to another genre great, with bassist Dom Potts, guitarist Sean Reilly and drummer Alex Johnson temporarily leaving the stage allowing frontman Kenworthy to treat Manchester to an intimate solo rendition of Bonnie Raitt’s bittersweet “I Can’t Make You Love Me”. Wrapping things up at just under an hour, the band seem content with keeping things short and sweet where other new acts may be tempted to outstay their welcome. Maybe they know something we don’t? Or like their stage presence suggests, maybe they’re a band that’s already outgrown the dive-bar scene and is ready for bigger things. Our money’s on the latter.
Words by Simon Bland (@SiTweetsToo).
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