MELTS @ The Bodega, Nottingham, UK, 28 April 2024

MELTS, Bored Marsh, Rain Age

MELTS @ The Bodega, Nottingham, UK, 28 April 2024,

April 30, 2024
By Dom Gourlay

Web Exclusive

It says a lot about a city when there are four high-profile shows taking place on a Sunday afternoon and all of them are either sold out or as close as it gets. On the other side of Nottingham city centre, Orbital take a nostalgic trip to two of their most revered albums in Rock City, while Jane Weaver's worldly pop has drawn a big crowd to sister venue Rescue Rooms. Just around the corner, Fat White Family's album release weekend sees them entertain a jam-packed Rough Trade jam, while here at Bodega, Dublin's MELTS bring their dark electronic undertone to town for the first time. Hot off behind their outstanding second baseman Field Theoryit's to their credit that even on this rainy Sunday night they managed to attract a healthy crowd, some of whom have traveled from other parts of the UK, such is the growing buzz around the quartet's wares at the moment.

Opening the show are two of Nottingham's best up and coming new acts. Although Rain Age are still in the single digits when it comes to live shows, they have already made a notable impression with their incendiary racket of disturbing film screenings that convey a somber message for the times we live in right now. The trio – Kieran Poole (guitar/vocals), Jim Allen (bass) and Joe Maguire (drums) – are all regulars on the Nottingham scene having spent their formative years in other bands, but when the three come together as Rain Age they the magic begins. Playing a nine-song set (Rainy Season songs average around two and a half minutes long) that includes two brand new numbers suggests it's also one of the most prolific songs currently hitting the boards when it comes to writing . Recent single “WPD” caused quite a stir when it was released earlier this month, and for the band to throw it out there after the first song in the set also shows the confidence they have in the rest of their material. Comparisons to The Fall, Protomartyr and The Walkmen aren't broad, and in tunes like “Islanders” and “Ease-Up” there's a spiky tension that shouldn't be messed with. Ignore at your peril.

The Bored Marsh townspeople are also steadily making a name for themselves despite being together for just over eighteen months. As with Rain Age, the four members of Bored Marsh – Joe Need (vocals), Brad Westby (guitar), Jade Bowman (bass) and Paul Mason-Smith (drums) – were also regulars on the local circuit for a while. before it is formed. Still, Bored Marsh have become something of an inimitable presence on the local scene who are set to launch in other areas soon, so tonight's rehearsal for next week's Focus Wales slot reinforced the belief that they'll be one to watch over the coming months. Not least because of the band's upcoming EP Fool from which three songs were broadcast this evening. Emerging from the darker side of the anthemic post-punk spectrum (think Interpol, The National, Chameleons and Slow Readers Club), Bored Marsh is a head-scratching experience. Whether it's the first and debut single “The Grind”, or upcoming releases like “Come Around” and “Alright, OK”, both of which are on hold for the aforementioned new EP. One thing is for sure. Bored Marsh are a force to be reckoned with and one that is about to be unleashed across the UK soon.

For Dublin's MELTS, their rise to the top 6 Music thanks largely to Field Theory and their choice of radio-friendly singles means they've already built up a loyal following on their travels. Signing to the esteemed independent label Fuzz Club alongside a notable label such as The Jesus & Mary Chain, New Candys and The Telescopes has undoubtedly given the band new impetus while creating a wave of anticipation around them, and rightly so. If songs like “Altered” and “Figment” – both delivered at the start of the set – have elevated them into the hearts and minds of world music fans, then that has to be a good thing, especially as this tour it also provides an opportunity to discover the audience Field Theorypredecessor of 2022 Vortex. With the set split 50/50 between albums one and two, MELTS' ability to cross genres with utter ease (post-punk to goth to electronic dance to psychedelic rock) makes them an insatiable listen that's all the more compelling in their flesh.

Singer Eoin Kenny is a hyperactive focal point whose stage mannerisms land him somewhere between Sparks' Russell Mael and Suicide's Alan Vega, while the music calls to mind Cold Cave, Gary Numan, The Horrors and Gilla Band (whose Daniel Fox produced the new record) in equal measures. As a collective, MELTS make for an exciting audition that will serve them well in the future. Or as the final number “Wldng” so eloquently puts it, “Staring miles away into space, filled with ever-loving grace.”

Say hello to your new favorite band of 2024.