SNAYX, 33 Oldham Street. 1st March 2022

Sometimes gigs are like films. The less you know about what’s going to happen the better. To set the scene, when you walk into 33 Oldham Street, you’re faced with a lovely street level bar. It’s cozy, feels like a local, a very nice one. Things don’t change with the walk upstairs. This is a small room, sold out the last time I was here with 80 people. There’s a few less in here tonight, not many but that’s going to be a good thing. Things get warmed up, sort of, with a band who’s name I don’t quite catch and it’s maybe for the best. Sisters of Mercy and Carter USM put drum machines to great use, but here it feels at odds with this jangly indie pop. It’s not terrible and I’m always a big fan of the shared vocal approach, everyone has a go… well aside the rhythm section. The guitars are sharper in places too, but I’m not won over I’m afraid. Anyway, to SNAYX. This duo have clout. On record, Royal Blood could be a lazy comparison, with a dose of QOTSA. That’s to say these songs are full on and have hooks by the bucketload. You could hear this in the intermission when bizarrely one of their songs gets played on the PA. There’s two of them all over the promo, but they’re sensible lads, they’ve brought a drummer too and she’s not afraid to beat the living daylights outta the kit. It’s much more raw live, with some songs having ska-punk vibe mixed in with the bludgeoning power chords. With just three of them on stage you’d think it’d be big enough, but bassist Charlie is an energetic bastard. Snarling and stalking around in a white vest and tight black trousers, teeth clenched goading the front of the stage, he steals the show off singer Ollie who’s also brilliant (but goes for a polo shirt). They’re both packed with vitriolic stage charisma. They feel already fully formed, the tunes, the look, the confidence. Charlie is the ignition again, breaching the stage to kick off the pit that’s eager to make use of this space and they don’t let go. Switching the tempo, but always keeping it charged. Not to be outdone, Ollie flips his collar and charges the floor like a prize fighter. They bloody brilliant and near impossible to photograph (they move too fast) as the crowd test the second floor integrity. They cover all bases, every bit the party band and ready to protect it at all costs. The credits roll fast, leaving us with a squall of feedback and a stunned feeling of what the hell just happened. Give them a listen, but the record doesn’t do them justice, come see them live.