Leamington Spa indie punks Sharks continue to showcase their unrelenting potential during their first headline tour in support of ‘No Gods’. The four piece, now complete with new bassist Carl Murrihy, have clearly made the most of years supporting acts such as Social Distortion and The Gaslight Anthem on both sides of the Atlantic, reaping the rewards of such hard work and practice.
Opening act Crossbreaker provide the night’s local interest, with the Welsh acts energetic brand of hardcore introducing some heavy and accomplished riffs to a somewhat disappointing turnout. If the screamo style of the lead singer did appear somewhat out of place given the acts following them, this could be an association of genre Sharks themselves promote throughout their career, given that they are signed to the mostly hardcore label Rise Records.
The main support act, Cornish folk punks Crowns are very much a perfect opening for any rock band. Lively, charismatic and bursting with massive choruses they offer a very welcome English alternative to a genre traditionally dominated by Irish bands such as Flogging Molly. This is something that has definitely been missing in recent English punk but, along with former tour mates The King Blues, may be starting to change. Highlights from their mandolin driven set include Little Eyes, Kissing Gates and Full Swing.
Sharks themselves begin at the very top of their game. A superb one-two of Till The Wonders Rise and breakthrough single Arcane Effigies would seem to be unleashing too much too soon for many young bands, however the quality of all the songs on No Gods, and indeed much of Sharks’ back catalogue, ensure that this is far from the case. Having seen Sharks twice previously, one notable improvement is the quality of singer James Mattock’s vocal work. Whilst he has always had a classic punk rock snarl he occasionally seemed to struggle with the impassioned high end notes that are so powerful on record. Tonight however, he is near flawless, something that may well have come both through practise and the guidance of album producer Brian McTernan, as he also achieved similar success with Polar Bear Club frontman Jimmy Stadt.
Sharks also have in Andrew Bayliss, a very intricate and technically brilliant guitarist. Tonight much of his best work comes out in Able Moving Hearts and Luck, littering the verses with sophisticated hooks. The highlight of the night for me comes in the form of Sweet Harness. Brimming with emotion, melody and power, such is the quality of lyrical imagery it’s hard to believe that this song was written when the band were still teenagers.
Despite spending much of their time in America, Sharks remain all about the British attitude. The piercing bark that opens Trains is intense and clearly intended for bigger crowds than this, bursting with ambition and frustration, it serves as a perfect penultimate track, highlighting Sharks punk rock background and outlining a thirst for greater things.
Finishing the night with album closer No Gods will no doubt become commonplace in upcoming years, as its anthemic, almost hymn like feel and instrumental finish bring proceedings very much to a completed close. Playing less than an hour, Sharks demonstrate exactly what this tour is about. By leaving plenty of room for more, they are clearly destined for bigger venues and crowds, something the band themselves seem keen on, given the direction their sound is taking.
Sharks set list:
Till The Wonders Rise
Arcane Effigies
Able Moving Hearts
It All Relates
Glove in Hand
On a Clear Day
Fallen On Deaf Ears
Capital Youth
Sweet Harness
Luck
Matthew’s Baby
Patient Spider
Trains
No Gods
