Gorilla Riot, Rebellion. 20th April 2019

Now I’ll admit this isn’t exactly my area of expertise, but I’ve seen Gorilla Riot a few times now and it has to be said they are coming on rather well. Pitched along the lines of Zeppelin at their bluesiest and a bunch of good old boys buried somewhere in Mississippi, this is straight up smash your feet into the ground rock n roll swagger. It’s all about the rhythm, the hooks, the feel good vibes. Odd when singer Arjun sings so well, but it’s all part of a package that’s coming together better than I for one expected. Whether it’s a recent tour or the new drummer that’s tightened things I’m not sure. It’s probably the tour, but the drummer deserves I mention for sure. This guy (in a Ginger Baker shirt, always a good sign) gets it, feels it. Not just another tub thumper, there’s a real understanding there, you can see it coursing through him and it infects the rest of the band. If you listen to this on Spotify there’s a danger of it being easily dismissed, this is one of those bands that needs to be seen live, felt, taken in. As we leave the venue I half expect a shrimp boat to pass us down the Manchester Delta.