Dave Monks Presents: The Flechettes at the Cavern Club, Liverpool

Wednesday, 23rd February 2022 

It’s a Wednesday night and we’re in Liverpool again, the familiar surroundings of the iconic Cavern Club being our destination.  We’re at another Dave Monks Presents for BBC Radio Merseyside. Always great events, these shows are Dave Monks’ pick of local talent, always diverse and hugely popular, a really good event to attend and find new music. 

On the line up this evening we have headlining The Flechettes…awesome band, I’ve been dying to see them live so tonight I’m happy; Jessica Luise… I’ve seen many times and she never disappoints, and Paisleigh B… again I’ve never seen so I’m really keen… so an added bonus!

City centre, Liverpool, and it’s busy as always.  It’s such a vibrant place with music at its heart and soul. It’s such a familiar feeling passing through these quirky streets, past the various architectural styles, past venues where the sounds of live music escape to greet us, smelling the rich aromas coming from the vast array of eateries.  It all feels very bohemian, very eclectic and best of all friendly and welcoming. The famous and musically rich in history Cavern Club, located on the bustling Mathew Street, is, of course, a destination of choice for live music, and really is the perfect setting for these showcase events – it all works very well. Entering our venue and climbing down the iconic twisting brick stairwell, we arrive to find a fair few people already gathered.

Paisleigh B & Tosin Salako_Credit: Christabel

1st  Support – Paisleigh B, with Tosin Saleko 

Paisleigh B – vocals, Tosin Saleko – guitar/vocals

A regular on Dave Monks’ show, Liverpool based Paisleigh B has quite a following and is doing great things. Joining her on stage tonight is Tosin Saleko on guitar. It’s an acoustic set and very well received as they arrive before us to whooping and rapturous applause! Totally at ease and getting stuck straight in, it’s a very laid back feel –  calming, gentle tones with a real 1930s/40s jazz/blues vibe.  Both musicians are very at home up on stage and the performance is seamless. Paisleigh B has a voice which is pure joy – smooth, rich and warm but with a real sweetness; rich and chocolaty but light as air. Smiling throughout the entire set, we instantly love this girl, we can’t help but love her, she’s so happy and open and her stage presence is immense. All original material, she has fans in the crowd…lots of interaction and singing along, all swaying in time. 

Tosin (Saleko) performs a selection of his solo work – original songs. This is a great addition and goes down very well indeed!  With a completely different feel, it starts off quite blues- like, but then gets a real rock n roll edge – that 60s psych sound almost…real Jimmi Hendrix feels. Tosin’s voice is low, husky, deep and rich with a rasp to it, but easily reaching those higher notes when necessary. Brilliant. This feels like a very real, true performance – rawness to it, but effortless and very well done.

Paisleigh B again joins Tosin and we’re treated to a collaboration/mash up of ‘Sometimes’ and ‘Whatever’. It’s explained that the music is Tosin’s but with Paisleigh B’s words.  It works, it really works, it’s genius!  Thank you!  Brilliant opener, excellent start, thoroughly enjoyed this collaboration. Two amazing talents !

Jessica Luise_Credit: Christabel

2nd Support – Jessica Luise 

Jessica Luise –  lead vocals/guitar, Temiloluwa Adebayo – lead guitar and backing vocals, Conor Burns – keys/synth, Matt Hulme – bass, Tom Want – drums 

I’ve seen Jessica Luise many, many times performing acoustically, just her and her guitar and she is something extra special. With her full band, I’ve seen her once before…and WOW is all I can say. I’ve really been looking forward to another full band performance, and tonight I finally get to experience it again. It really has been far too long. Manchester based, hailing from Newton le Willows (which has quite the music scene), Jessica is another with a large following, another regular on the Dave Monks Show, and has been tweeted about by the actor Robert Carlyle (Trainspotters, Full Monty etc) more than once.  Jessica is clearly doing all the right things. 

Opening with ‘Nice Try’ this sound absolutely bursts out at us from on stage. This band give so much energy, it’s immediately infectious. No-one in the house is standing still now. It’s real indie/folk feels, with an early 80s vibe coming through. Think the Cure…jangly intricate guitar riffs, skipping then pounding drum beats, synth and keys give that delicious retro feel. The lead and bass guitar gives a real edge and provides that indie sound. It’s cool, it’s loud, but it’s soft, it’s polished and very well performed. It’s feel good, we’re all smiles and Jessica’s voice – well anyone who’s seen her perform live will know – but my God this girl has a set of lungs on her! Loud, powerful, controlled, and one epic range! She reaches so far and can hold notes for what seems impossible lengths of time. This girl is amazing and is on fire tonight! Breathless and quiet at times, throaty and with a grate at others, then loud, full on and verging on operatic when she unleashes the full extent, then effortlessly back to tender and light and bright and breezy again. It’s impressive to say the very least. 

Jessica s latest song, ‘Middle of June’ is out now, and well worth a listen. It’s a love song, the first she’s written about real love… of being in love with a good person, the right person, she explains. It’s a feel good song, and it’s another smile inducing rendition – but then the whole band are smiling so how can we not?  They’re such a likeable bunch, led by Little Miss Sunshine, smiling coyly throughout her entire set. A truly captivating performance, with a voice that genuinely gives us, chills down our spine. On form as ever, Jessica Luise truly is a force of musicality coming straight for us, defying the senses and is of the musical Richter scale.  A voice that has to be heard to be believed. I strongly urge everyone to go see Jessica Luise, her talent for song writing is enough in itself, but coupled with that huge voice and a band with such skill and enthusiasm it’s a must see. Genuine thanks are given throughout the performance and Jessica chats and giggles whilst explaining song themes and introducing the band. 

Thoroughly likeable, very endearing, epic musicality, bundles of talent and energy… yet again, Jessica Luise, you’ve taken my breath away and left me completely in awe…smashed that ball right out the park !!  LOVE this girl and I promise it won’t be long before I see her again. Thanks, guys.

Setlist: Nice try, Stargaze, Middle of June, Eyes like mine, 3 steps forward, A.m

The Flechettes_Credit: Christabel

Headline: The Flechettes

Jack Heaton – vocals and rhythm guitar, Johnny Raper – lead guitar, Nicholas Kitts – drums, Will Watts – Bass, backing vocals

Wigan based, 4 piece, indie band the Flechettes headline for us tonight. YES! I’ve been hoping to see these guys for some time now. With a huge following and one epic sound it’s sure to be one hell of a gig…and boy, do they bring it tonight…in spades!  Another from the brilliant Wigan indie scene, which has become the place to find great bands. It’s straight on stage and into the performance with no messing. Full pelt, no apologies, full throttle, CRASHING indie sounds. It’s really something to behold: an utter explosion of sound:  indie, punk, rock.  A real Britpop feel in the vocals, sung in a northern accent, mad for it style, which sits super well with the sound created. It’s a musical smorgasbord, layer upon layer of exquisite sounds. Crunching, shimmering guitar lines, jagged bass lines, loud, hard and fast drumbeats .It’s banging, it’s current…think the K’s meets Arctic Monkeys type sound, but with a 60s rock n roll vibe running through it. An early 60s basement band feel, fresh and raw like early Beatles rock, but with all the delectable layerings and added dimension of 90s indie and current sounds. 

It’s visibly packed in here, the Flechettes really are a great band to see live, and the atmosphere in here is electric, and bouncing. A very, very tight performance. This band play well, with a very crisp sound. The guys announce what a true honour it is for them to play at the Cavern Club and how it’s straight off their bucket list. It’s well deserved, guys! 

The Flechettes_Credit: Christabel

For the main part, the lead vocal is provided by Jack Heaton. His voice is very mellow, light and even, cheery and dulcet tones that wash over us in this musical waterfall we’re all clambering to bathe in. Very bright sounding, in contrast to the crashing of the music, it binds together very well…it’s a great sound and a brilliant style. ‘Breath’ is a song performed by bassist Will Watts providing lead vocals. It’s very contrasting and something completely different. It adds yet another element to this band’s sound – more depth-filled,  deeper vocal, a real Editors feel to this sound. It’s a brilliant song, very clever riffs, a falling away then coming right back in with a bang again style to it. Alternating tempos and loops – very well done, not easy to pull off. 

This performance has really provided that feeling of when you discover something. A feeling of seeing a band for that first, special time, something fresh, exciting, something good. The Flechettes bring the feels of what seeing a live band should be like: gig feels – that buzz that you can only get from a live band, like an injection of super powered musical caffeine.  It makes us stand up and take notice, it feels like this is something we should and will remember.  I certainly won’t forget this….one absolutely explosive, brilliant and super memorable set…new favourite band? Yeah…I WILL be seeing Flechettes again, of that you can rest assured. Indie at it’s very, very best!

Setlist: Make your Mistakes, Man of the Hour, Chasing Youth, Just My Luck, Breathe, Carry your Matches, Caffeine

Words: Janet Harding 

Images: Christabel

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