Live Review - The Sherlocks - The Bullingdon, Oxford 12/03/2017

I've certainly missed shooting in such an intimate venue but the Bullingdon will always be one of those where it's either busy or it isn't and tonight was one of those busier nights and it was incredible to see how many people have actually turned up. Especially as a few were queuing at the door just after they opened and that is always a great starting point. The atmosphere in the room was so relaxed, compared to when I'm usually in here with pop punk and metal bands so it was certainly something I wasn't prepared for tonight. Entering the venue to a half filled room, was more than expected with knowing that more people were going to turn up throughout the night for The Sherlocks. The one thing I love about The Bullingdon is that every show that they put on it's always intimate and sweaty.

Opening the show were Oxford indie band Filth, the band looked so laid back on the stage and so at home it was lovely! the entirety of their set was so chilled out it was brilliant. The set was filled with incredible guitar riffs, drums and even better vocals. Every song performed was followed with a round of applause which was more than well deserved. "We have 'free' badges as no one will buy anything" I'm sure a majority of the crowd at the time picked up a badge, plus its great support for the local indie scene Knowing they're only a small band (for now at least) they are still finding their feet with the gig side of things but I'm certain they've gained a fair few fans from the performance they displayed tonight and if it is anything to go by I'm hoping these guys get bigger and better opportunities in the upcoming months. I'd certainly suggest checking their track 'She's Alright'' on soundcloud if you're a fan of the indie scene.



Next up were more of a rock vibe Yves, if I could recommend a band to check I would say this three piece in a heart beat. They have so much energy and their stage presence is beautiful. By the time Yves were ready to kick off the set the room had started to fill up with a much larger crowd than when the show started. The vibe in the room during their set was incredible to be a part of. Every song consisted of a great amount of guitar, baseline and drum beats whether it to kick the song off or just throughout the set, it was a perfect collaboration with the vocals. Within seconds of each of the songs they performed ending Yves received a round of applause and cheers from the crowd. Every time I turned around there were fans swaying about, or singing along. After a thoroughly impressive set I’ve definitely chucked their songs into my spotify to listen to on a more regular basis as Yves absolutely killed their set and there wasn’t a song they played that I didn’t enjoy. It was one of those nights where the crowd were having a dance a long and I can't blame them as the guitar rhythm and drum beats were so enjoyable and perfected, you'd be silly not to be the one dancing away (or moving your head to the beat) even I joined in too. The collaborated vocals were so unique to the band but it worked so well with a band of this genre, however they had a great indie vibe throughout the set so I was thoroughly impressed by every song they performed!



Lastly were headliners The Sherlocks, I have been wanting to see these guys for a while so I’m super stoked I’ve had the opportunity to catch them in my local area as well as being able to snag a few images of them too. After two incredible sets the lights dimmed and The Sherlocks entered the stage, the crowd roared with such energy for the band it was beautiful to see. With the band being rapidly known as one of the ‘United Kingdoms biggest unsigned bands’ this show proved just why they were at that height of career as a band, especially after killing sets at large festivals down to their incredible performance and live sound. The Sherlocks are a band that appeal to a wide audience and are a band that anyone can enjoy, but this night of their tour seemed to be more aimed towards a much younger set of fans. The one thing I loved about their entire set is how every single song they performed has a storyline to it which entices you in and makes you want to go home and listen to the track again (I’ve probably had them on repeat for the last week after seeing their set in Oxford) The set consisted of strobe lights which were perfectly timed with their great drum beats, and incredible guitar riffs. As soon as the lights flickered you could see the fans singing the words along with the band as well as a few fans having a little dance away which worked perfectly when the lyrics were “Cos you can dance all night when the light’s start to flicker”



There hadn’t been a part of the set where I hadn’t looked away from my camera to see fans singing their hearts out with the band and dancing away to music, if anything I will always love that part of a concert, knowing how a band can have this much of an impact and have a crowded room singing their own songs with them is always a beautiful sight to witness and be a part of. The Sherlocks performed their newly released single ‘Was It Really Worth It’ and the crowd took to it perfectly, it was one of those songs where it is just as much of a killer live as it is watching the video. There was point in the night where I decided to hide at the back of the room and just watch the crowd clap along with the band in time to the beat. If anything tonight proved why this band are becoming as successful as they are, I can see some great opportunities coming their way in the next 12 months (or sooner) they definitely have the passion and drive to take this to the next level. If I learned one thing from this show it’s that I think I’m smitten with The Sherlocks live performance as they absolutely owned the stage and treated like a second home.

Words and Photography by Heather Lowe