Welcome to the weird and wonderful life of Marmozets, but unless you’ve had your head buried under some rubble for the last year, you’ll be fully aware of the unrelenting journey this young band have been on. Grabbing 2014 by the scruff of the neck, they have dragged it through to 2015 and look to carry on their steady rise to becoming the UK’s premier punk/rock band. After fighting their way into the UK album charts with their debut The Weird and Wonderful…, these sets of siblings have been one of the bands to watch. Tonight sees them start their UK headline tour to a sold out show at The Wedgewood Rooms in Portsmouth, which will probably be the last time they headline a venue this small.
Before they are let loose into the wild, we are opened up by the droning sound of Thought Forms (7) whose doom driven sound starts the night with a slugdier sound. The three piece are something a bit different but are met with the same level of respect as the headliner, while most are intrigued the trio reverberate supersonic waves around the room, it’s loud, crunching and shatters the very fibre of your existence. While it doesn’t so much in the way of getting people moving, the variation from each band allows the fans and band alike to broaden their horizons.
Coming all the way from Belgium is old friends and touring buddies, Steak Number Eight (8) who packed a bigger punch. The four-piece give the crowd a much needed wake up call as they go on an assault of metal infused post-sludge that leaves the band breathless. The immense wall of sound we are met with leaves our ears tingling, as the four piece up the ante to get the crowd’s heart rate’s pumping. By the time they finish the room is pretty much at full capacity, with the crowd finally getting their arses into gear and giving back to the band with the first movement of the night.
Akin to their name, Marmozets (10) ravage the stage like a troupe of wild animals as Becca Macintyre gives the middle finger to the photographers in the front row. Leading the charge with Move Shake Hide the place becomes a chimpanzee sanctuary as the band are met with frenetic scenes as everyone surges towards the front. It starts as it means to carry on and tonight shows us why this band deserve all the plaudits.
Moving away from their mathy roots, Marmozets punk angst and rock harmonies have created a setlist full to the brim of hits. This band are non-conformists, they will write what they want and perform it in a way they feel comfortable, this is a band who don’t compromise and it’s so refreshing to see. Frontwoman Becca Macintyre is the encapsulation of rock n roll, she has a no fucks given attitude, a voice that strikes a chord and that star quality. Her onstage aurora, is something that every single young female should be looking up to, there has been much discussion about the lack of female rock-stars, but she is leading the revolution. Their journey from Bingley in Yorkshire to the UK’s hottest young band has been one we have all been keeping tabs on as it gains even more momentum.
Vibetech is a nod to their earlier days, with this math-rock tinge but it’s the ballad of Captivate You that sees a mass singa-long ensue. Born Young And Free turns the sold out venue into an inferno, as the condensation in the room reaches an all time high. The Bottomley / Macintyre guitar duelling is impressive as it is lethal, with the technicality of their musicianship being executed with pure precision. The final assault of Why Do You Hate Me? Sees Becca get up, close and personal with the crowd as everyone shows her, that in fact they love her.
This band take up their rightful place at the mainstage of Reading and Leeds in the summer, where these tracks belong. Now it’s up to the band to carry on this untouchable form into the future as they rise through the higher echelons of heavy music. If tonight is anything to go on, expect to Marmozets conquering bigger venues in the near future.
You can follow Marmozets on Twitter at @marmozets.
