Live Review - The First 45 Presents Bruja

The First 45 Presents: Bruja, Heads Off and Yard Wars @ Vintage, Doncaster 21/10/16

Luckily it seems every local music scene has one main figure and driving force who selflessly works behind the scenes to give talented emerging bands that much sought after “first chance”, in Doncaster this is radio show The First 45, who also turn to promoting with the help of Doncaster’s Vintage Bar, who in the past put on shows with the likes of Allusondrugs and Forever Cult. This time around saw Bruja fill in for the (guttedly) absent Brawlers, alongside Heads Off and Yard Wars.

Opening act Yard Wars were vocal about their worries that the crowd was expecting Brawlers and seemingly felt a little insecure, however, everyone knew the deal and came anyway! Fears completely unfounded Yard Wards are an emerging band in a (sadly) saturated genre, the silver lining, Yard Wars are different, they have a look and a sound that really stands out from their genre crowd, and I expect to see them pounding the live circuit and quickly climbing the ladder.

At HUSH we always appreciate a solid moustache game, with Heads Off frontman Danny bringing the facial hair on this particular evening. Heads Off were truly refreshing and brought a lot of fun to the evening, how many bands can pull off songs about Pussy Cats and Sandwiches?! Again, another band that properly stands out from the crowd, considering their sound, song content, look and performance style Heads Off are really a stand out.

Because the “Grunge scene” had so many iconic stars, it always feels difficult to review a band with Grunge influences without harking about them being the “X version of Nirvana” or “Y version of Pearl Jam”, the evenings headliners Bruja clearly have a foot in the Grunge genre, but they also offer so much more. If you’ve ever seen a more animated drummer than Zach then I’m calling bullshit, if you’ve ever seen anyone work a whammy bar better than Giannis then you are a fucking liar and if you think there is a better front woman on the UK Grunge scene than Delyth then dude- we probably won’t get on. 

There is no complaining about the commitment to Bruja’s live craft, they have a ballsy yet zen feeling performance, and it comes across that they’d have played that hard had there been a crowd 5 or 155 people. 

The music industry needs people and organisations like The First 45, someone who puts a love of new music above ego and financial greed, which then breeds trust and confidence in the bands these people are championing. Music is becoming stagnant, people stick to the familiar when there are so many new, talented and inspiring bands out there!

The First 45 are next promoting a show with headliners Mouses at Vintage Bar on the 18th November, we recommend if you’re anywhere within the Doncaster vacinity you go check it out!