Staying on top of new music (or even music new to you) can be a full-time job. For some people it is. For those without that privilege, there are several ways to make do. The radio, those you-might-like-this algorithms on streaming services, websites like Louder Than War, and press releases all have their place. But they still involve some work. And none are quite as likely to stick as a personal recommendation from someone you trust.
Which is basically how I’ve found myself at the launch of The Gulls’ new EP, Freedom, Fire & Lightning. Even though it’s a cold Saturday night when, judging by the empty trains and streets, the rest of the capital is watching England play France at the FIFA World Cup.
Simon Reed, a frequent Louder Than War collaborator, had told me how their “rootsy, bluesy rock” had stopped him in his tracks at Victorious festival; that they are an “extremely entertaining three-piece with great stage presence”; and how they’d done a “Robin Hood” busking tour in the summer, driving around a town in the day to advertise their free gig that evening, where they’d put out hats and give all donations to the local food bank. He’d been so impressed that he’d recently gone to see them again, this time in Southsea, playing to a really enthusiastic crowd “that loved every second”.
As tonight’s show progresses, Simon’s proved right again — on all counts. (As if to underline his last point, during tonight’s performance he gets a full pint in the face, courtesy of one of those enthusiastic fans.) All gigs should be as much fun as this.
It kicks off with Rubber Ducky and Freedom, two punchy classic blues rockers that immediately show off Will Fairhead’s voice (slight rasp, perfectly suited to these songs); Kilian Aubertin’s fluid, fiery Hendrix-style guitar playing; and drummer Tali Knight’s swing. The soulful I Wanna Know may lower the tempo, but not the temperature, as audience members gradually start removing scarves and jackets.
By the time It’s A Business kicks off, so does the dancing, the couches and chairs lining one side of the new The Camden Club long since deserted. Its huge guitar solo and instrumental jam are the perfect setup for Cowboy Cupid. As entertaining as it sounds (complete with cowbell!), the song’s pivotal in tonight’s set. Not just revealing Aubertin’s skills as a vocalist, it’s also a real showcase for Fairhead’s bass playing. More importantly it highlights his undeniable charisma, right down to the ironic finger guns that come out during another wild west solo. And most importantly it shows off the young trio’s ability to write a song so instantaneous that the increasingly excitable crowd are singing along to the chorus the second time it rolls around. It goes without saying that the synchronised arm waving has also begun.
Howling soon follows as Fairhead introduces I See Wolves with a winking “We’ve got some wolves in the house tonight.” Another slice of unadulterated fun, its slow bass groove intro soon gives way to another fast, jangly rocker.
By this point, the writing in my notebook becomes increasingly illegible as the audience around me seem incapable of standing still. As a man dressed in a Santa suit looks on from the back of the room, Fairhead joins in with the communal bouncing while the band hammer out the high-energy You Can’t Fit A Circle In A Square Hole, complete with another thrilling jam involving bassist, guitarist, and a lot of flying hair.
Love Ya ‘Til I Die gives everyone a moment to catch their breath — a little — before Pop Song throws up the first of the evening’s surprise twists. After Fairhead explains that The Gulls have been on a long road this year, he reveals that they’ve even tried their hand at being a pop band. Cue a rollicking ditty, with the verses sung by Knight (Phil Collins or Don Henley style), featuring lines like “I’ve sold my soul and that’s alright by me” and referencing drinking champagne straight from the bottle. Think Nickelback’s Rockstar, but good.
The next twist isn’t far off, with the arrival on stage of Mel Collins, as in the legendary saxophone player immortalised on Dire Straits’ live album Alchemy (plus countless recordings by the likes of King Crimson, Camel, The Alan Parsons Project, and even Tears For Fears). Bass player Isaac Dogliani steps up too, with Fairhead switching to guitar, and the extended lineup launch into the expansive Never Leave This Town. The subtle additional instrumentation supports a nuanced singer-songwriter style narrative involving various Camden characters that shows yet another side to The Gulls. Collins, relatively restrained until now, really steps up on Fire, from the new EP. There’s the really flashy sax intro and, during the galloping rock ‘n roll track, a huge solo that’s quite something to behold.
So is the next song (and, coincidentally, the next curveball). With Collins switching to a “golden flute”, the blues rockers suddenly unleash a song that could best be described as a prog epic as performed by The Doors. Over a bed of jazzy drumming, spacey guitar, and that ethereal flute, Fairhead weaves a tale involving a piper and a mountain and a dragon, complete with Jim Morrison-style spoken sections.
It’s a left-turn, but the audience unsurprisingly love it. The trippy It Must Be Old, with Collins back on sax, continues the musical detour and boasts several extended solos, before the show closer sees a return to the blues-rock vibe. And what a return it is. Right from the nimble opening guitar lick, Lightning (also from the new EP) more than lives up to its name. As the band settle into a classic highway driving song groove, the now-shirtless Fairhead lets his voice go full rasp, and the people at the foot of the stage start moving as if they’ve lost control of their bodies.
So, it’s not long before several of those bodies are up on stage dancing alongside the band. Fairhead stage dives into the arms of those remaining on the floor, as if to drive home Simon’s assessment of The Gulls.
I, for one, am sold.
The Gulls
The Camden Club, London
10th December 2022
Photo: Simon Reed
- This article originally appeared on Louder Than War.
Nils van der Linden 