Live Review: Arcade Hearts & Cherry Lotus - 60 Million Postcards - 14/03/2019
Portsmouth indie pop band Arcade Hearts have just finished up their week long run of headline shows with a show at Bournemouth’s 60 Million Postcards.
As the room fills up, Bournemouth band Cherry Lotus play their heart out to the growing crowd. ‘Get What You Want’ was their first release back in October and it’s still the only track they’ve got available to stream. This didn’t hold them back tonight as they rattled through an impressively long, diverse set. They’re a talented bunch having a lot of fun together on stage, and their sound is equally as lively. They play a new track for the first time ever - ‘Met Too Soon’ - and I’m left eagerly awaiting it’s release. Towards the end of the set, they play another brand new song, ‘Underneath’ and this is where they really start to shine. Vocalist Joe performs most of the song alone, backed only by his guitar, until a breakdown where the rest of the band joined him. This track is a clear sign of the more mature songwriting that is to come from Cherry Lotus and serves as a pretty good prompt to follow the band and make sure their new releases are not missed.
After a string of single releases, Arcade Hearts decided it was time to hit the road, and tell the crowd tonight that they had no idea if anyone would even show up to the shows. Tonight is the last show of their tour and they’re ready to give it their all. Their set begins in a pretty standard format, with frontman Dan wielding his guitar as they launch into their infectious indie pop. It’s when he puts his guitar down that it starts to get exciting. Arcade Hearts are a band that you just have to move to, and they have just as much fun on the stage as you do watching. Dan tells us that after playing to a very lively crowd in Birmingham last night, they’re all pretty exhausted, but it absolutely does not show. He dances his way through the set, not missing a single beat.
Arcade Hearts are a very fun band to watch live, whether you bounce along with them or just watch as they have the time of their lives. New music must be looming on the horizon and it will no doubt be just as catchy and brilliant as everything they’ve released so far. If you get a chance to see them while they’re still playing in tiny venues - do not miss out.
Words and Photography by Megan Smith