Out and About With….The Virginmarys

Gig Review

27th October 2022 Hare & Hounds, Birmingham

Photography & Written by Luke Knowles

Thursday night I had the chance to catch three amazing bands perform at one of Birminghams most well known independent venues, the Hare & Hounds. Climbing the stairs into the now familiar V2 room I took up position to catch the opening act who would be warming everyone up for the alt rock suckerpuners that are The Virginmarys. I’d been quite excited tfor the nights event as I ws not only a fan of The Virginmarys work but I’d also had the leasure of interviewing and supporting their first support band MuddiBrooke from their beginnings back in 2020. Then to top it all off I left as a huge fan of main support act Anchor Lane but more on the reasons why later on.

Right, lets get stuck in. First to take the stage at the iconic venue was the rising grunge three piece from Derby, MuddiBrooke. As I said above, I’d had the great pleasure of chatting with the band on several occasions and supporting everything they had released up to this point. So to finally get to meet in person and witness their live show was something I was very excited for. Straightaway I was absorbed by their stage presence and confidence on the stage. Though only a three piece their sound was full and left nothing behind or left any empty spaces. Each moment was full of grits and Brooke’s distinctively gurney vocals. Their songs always packed a punch on the recording but getting to experience them live added a little kick and flare to each song. I easpecially enjoyed getting to hear Liverpool Guy performed with so much fire and passion. It was a great performance very much appreciated by the audience. I’m not afraid to say I was sad when the final note played out and they took their bow from the stage. I cannot wait to get to see them once again as soon as possible!

Next up was the wild card of the evening (at least for me). I’d not come across Anchor Lane before but after their set it’s safe to say I’m definitely looking forward to hearing their new album next year. They were full of electricity and fire that spilled out and over the audience before them. With a honed confidence they captured the attention of everyone in the room and made full use of the width of the stage. Even the moments between the explosive performances were full of a lively bounce that kept you on a high until they struck up into the next song. Each member of this Scottish punk rock outfit glowed with energy and enthusiasm. Even without knowing the songs I felt like they were a band I had known for years. It was even their first show in Birmingham, but again the huge and loud positive response they got from the crowd made it seem as though they were a regular across the city. Much like MuddiBrooke I felt a tinge of sadness as they dropped the final chords of the last song. They left the stage to a warm reception and had done a great job heating things up for the main event.

Now was the time for the big guns. The room was prepped, people had begun packing themselves tighter and tighter towards the front and all focus was on the stage. It was time for The Virginmarys. To say that they lived up to my expectations wouldn’t be doing them justice. In fact they took my expectations, and blew them out of the water. From the off they put their foot down on the pedal and didn’t let up for a moment. Guitars seeren with distortion and cutting stabs. The drums hammered home in a steady rhythm as the bass pulsed through the crowd and the building itself. Their vocals tore through your ears and gripped your focus as you stood, hypnotised by the whole thing. As part of their tour they had asked for song suggestions so it meant we were treated to an extended set that was packed with fan favourites and monster tracks that I had grown to enjoy over the last year. Towards the end the band made sure to let their thanks known to everyone in the room and the genuine sentiment just made me love this band even more. Even as you got a sense of them reaching their output limit for the night they didn’t quit and powered through with an unfaltering enthusiasm and determination to live up to the love held in that room. It was just outstanding.

Overall it was once again another example of the stunning talent making the rounds not only in Birmingham but across the UK. Just being in the room with these artists and the others in the crowd I felt like a real part of their journey and a true appreciation of how much live events meant to each of these acts. I very much look forward to seeing all of them again as soon as possible and hope to watch them grow and grow into outstanding live bands as the years go on.

Follow: The Virginmarys    Anchor Lane     MuddiBrooke