Dave Monks Presents: The Cavern Club
BBC Introducing at The Cavern – Dave Monks Presents Lee Ford, Slye and
Leonie & The Lawless, at the Cavern Club, Liverpool
Wednesday 19th October 2022
It’s a blustery day in Liverpool, battling the wind to get to Matthew Street; the city is still as busy and vibrant as ever. Tonight we’re at another of the ‘Dave Monks Presents’ gigs at the iconic Cavern Club – always a good night and a brilliant platform which showcases local talent, always featuring artists who are regularly played on Dave Monks’ radio show. A good line-up is always guaranteed. Held once a month, always on a Wednesday, it’s well worth making the effort to venture out midweek; you can discover some great bands and artists. Tonight’s headline is one such GREAT musician; I recently saw her supporting ‘The Heavy North’ at Liverpool Arts Club, and I don’t mind saying I was blown away by her –Leonie & The Lawless – so I’m really looking forward to tonight!
(Lee Ford_Credit: Warren Millar)
Lee Ford – vocal/guitar, Sam Harrison – drums, Tom Rees – guitar, Jay Gaugle – bass
Our first set tonight comes from Lee Ford, Liverpool-based, with massive indie sounds. a firm regular on the Dave Monks show, and it does feel like we already know the songs well as they are performed before us. Real guitar-driven stuff, crashing guitar lines and is very energetic. bass lines are melodic and mellow which works brilliantly with the complex lead guitar riffs and the strong, powerful, up-tempo beats. I get so many different influences coming through, overall a real noughties indie vibe, but then moments that are reminiscent of Stereophonics, then the sound switches and becomes more of a Libertines-type feel. Very tightly performed and an enthusiastic and energetic set. They’re a good band to watch, hold our full attention and are very engaging. There’s chit-chat and song introductions; Lee has that warm, friendly ‘Scouser’ disposition. Vocals are steady and even but have a real gravel tone, full of character and very listenable. A Brilliant and original set, performed excellently, with banging tunes, their next release will be a song called ‘Cold’ and it’s well worth a listen! If you’re a fan of the band, ‘The K’s‘, Lee Ford is most definitely for you, very similar vibe, but of its own sound at the same time. Excellent start, thank you, Lee Ford!
Setlist: These are the Days, Modern Times, Cold, Sertraline, Where it Begins, Push Bikes
(Slye_Credit: Warren Millar)
Slye – vocals/guitar, Sarah Sands – saxophone/vocal J, Jack O’Hanlon – guitar, Fran Mills – bass, Tom Hudson – drums, Cia Tomasso – keys
Next is something completely different, a real change in genre, and this is why these BBC Introducing events are so good, as you get such a variety of different styles and sounds. Next up we have Slye. It’s very laid back, lounge jazz feels, but with a funky soul vibe – jazz funk! The sound is exquisite, so uplifting and relaxed but up-tempo enough so that we can’t stand still. It’s foot-tapping stuff! Very cool, very slick and super stylish. As a performer Slye is completely captivating, we cannot tear our eyes away from him! I’m getting 70s disco meets 80s soul funk with a twist of post-punk smooth jazz. It’s so eclectic and totally fascinating. The vocal is rich, smooth, and velvety with very full tones, almost Culture Club feels, with a real Sade-type jazz thing going on. but then there’s the funky edge, a Kool and the Gang type sound and I’m even reminded of some of Fun Loving Criminals’ later songs. Shimmering guitars, with a real 70s ‘Shaft’ like section going on, the smoothness of the saxophone then electro and keys all bind together seamlessly. Epic extended intros and instrumentals that just keep us hooked, whilst showcasing this band’s obvious musical skill, all whilst dancing around the stage. ‘San Francisco Disco’ is performed with special guest and regular collaborator, Douglas Savage, and wow, what a performance! Totally different vibe, we go dream pop for this one, hazy and surreal, very catchy. Douglas is super cool and oozes charisma. The vocal is gentle, low and distinct, but full of definition and suits this dreamy style perfectly. Every now and again there’s a brilliant grate to the vocal which is quite goose-bump-inducing! Another song-out saxophonist, Sarah Sands, joins Slye on vocals and her voice is pure joy – very sunny and bright and clear as a bell and works brilliantly alongside Slye’s vocal. This entire set has been bursting with content, very accomplished musicians and some of the sleekest sounds you’ll likely ever hear! What an absolute belter of a set. Honestly, I can’t express enough how good these guys are, and something really different too! I just found myself yet another favourite!
Setlist: Into Colour, Dancing On My Own, San Francisco Disco (Douglas Savage), Be Cool, I’ll Stay, Ghost
(Leonie & The Lawless_Credit: Warren Millar)
Leonie Jakobi – vocals/guitar, James Taaffe – bass, Lee Barry – guitar, James Caul – drums, Tom O’Shea – guitar
When I saw this band last it was only their second performance together and I was totally awestruck, the standard was very high, so a month on and more performances in I’m really excited to see how they’ve progressed! This 5 piece rock n roll band of multiple influences really do bring a full-throttle performance. So, in an explosion of sound, cascading, crashing and blistering guitars, our set begins in epic style! Instantly I get 70s New York punk scene vibes – think Blondie, The Fleshtones, that era – but we also get a feel of glam rock. It’s cleverly woven into this sound, mainly the drum sequences, very T-Rex vibes; bass lines are edgy and hard-hitting, guitars are crunching, and the vocal is second to none! The vocal gods have gifted this girl…Leonie has one set of lungs and that’s for sure! Powerful, far-reaching, sweet like honey then utter powerhouse verging on operatic notes. very textured with a country drawl, but the entire musical sound is distinctly rock n roll. The performance is nonstop, it’s coming right at us and it’s taking no prisoners. Leonie dances and swings her guitar and bounces about on stage, often coming right to stage edge and leaning over singing right to us. Other band members are pogoing and stomping about throwing guitars around, whilst James hammers out fantastic beats on his drum kit. It’s a musical typhoon up there and it’s swept us as an audience right up within it, as it’s positively alive now, people dancing, bouncing and clapping along. It’s one amazing atmosphere and Leonie and the Lawless command us from up there on stage. It’s gypsy/country rock meets 70s Americana punk meets glam rock, so cleverly put together and works superbly. It’s a sound to stand up and take notice of, the kind of music that makes you want to jump around and create one wild mosh pit! Crowd interaction is friendly and enthusiastic and as a crowd, we are glued to this super cool frontwoman…I get Suzie Quattro vibes! Leonie’s seeming unstoppable force of a voice and this energetic and mesmerising band sure have brought the show tonight! One encapsulating, all-encompassing set. What more could be asked for? We’ve had it all delivered in giant bucket loads. I shall be following this band closely. it’s been a cracking performance and a real pleasure to have been a part of the crowd. Huge performance, huge voice…check out Leonie and the Lawless, they’re sure to impress and make a lifelong fan of you…I certainly am!
Setlist: Bedroom Eyes, You had me at Goodbye, Saviour, Too Early, Author Unknown, Heart of Glass, Make you Stay
Review: Janet Harding
Photography: Warren Millar
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