The Sheffield Scenester

I arrived quite early for the start of this gig, as 1) I had never been to the Library Theatre before and I didn’t want to get lost and 2) I’d heard some good reviews about the support act, Mike Hughes, and I had to know if he was as good as my friends told me he was.

I walked in, to the sounds of heavy guitar riffs coming from upstairs, near the bar, and I was intrigued into who was playing. I walked up the stairs and saw a guy busking by the door. He had a deep, throaty voice and played a dark green classic guitar with a picture of a scantily clad woman stuck to the front. I have to admit, I thought it was pretty weird how he was playing there and not in the actual theatre but I often find myself in strange situations like this and have learnt to always expect the unexpected. As the venue started to fill up, quite a few guys stood around to watch his performance and I found myself actually enjoying it. It was a great and inventive way to get the crowd ready for what was to come.

As more and more people arrived, many were really eager and none of us could actually wait to get into the theatre. When I opened the door and walked in, I realised that it had a really modernish feel, yet there was a sense of archaism about it too. The spotlight shone onto crimson curtains and when the seating area was almost full, the curtains opened to reveal a pretty interesting set. The bright light from one of the amps and the purple wallpaper effect projected to the back of the stage, along with the random lampshade made it look like someone’s bedroom. Mike Hughes entered the stage in a tweed suit jacket and skinny jeans giving a formal look mixed with the indie kid style, which I really liked. The carefully penned lyrics and breathtaking vocals definitely impressed me tonight. This guy could do no wrong and his songs were getting better and better as the set went on. His third track, Gone Till Summer, started off with some heavy strumming, giving a sense of determination. His soulful sounding vocals worked really well, almost poetic. When he performed the slower song, Shake the Shakes, he added a sort of blues feel to the track, sounding sensational. His last song of the night was Girl in the Clock Tower which just rounded the set off perfectly. I could have easily listened to this guy all night. Plus, I met Mike just before Bromheads came on and he seemed like a really friendly and likeable guy. I can see myself definitely going to more of his gigs in the future.

Then, it was the moment everyone was waiting for. The curtains opened to reveal Sheffield based garage rock band Bromheads. After a rollercoaster 6 months, with a name change, the loss of bass player, Jono West and a different style to their music, Bromheads are back and better than ever. The set switched from looking like a bedroom to a stage on a 1950’s TV talk show which was quite interesting. The songs were so catchy, that even if you hadn’t heard them before, they’d get you singing along to the choruses. Well, most fans would know nearly all the tracks as the band are currently releasing a free single every month for half a year. The energetic drum solos from Dan Potter and the uniqueness of Tim Hampton’s vocals make them gel so well as a two-piece. When they played Snow, my favourite track of the night, you could certainly tell that the audience was having a great time. Many people began to sing along and as soon as the few bars of Dedicated were played, a few girls at the front got up to dance. Pretty soon, more people joined them, making the atmosphere truly optimistic. The band ended with Boots, a cover of These Boots are Made for Walking, which they released as a free download in September 2009. Crowd members were clapping their hands and tapping their feet, and those who got out of their seats were holding hands and dancing around. It was a really enjoyable experience. Bromheads took a bow at the end of their set, looking very professional, leaving the stage to a standing ovation with chants of “encore.” This gig was one of the most interesting gigs I’ve been to, and definitely one I’ll remember for a long time.

Words by Shirley Bell
Photos by Malcolm White