Evols FestEvol2021 final installment of their all dayers was as monumental as promised! NSGs Sophie Gossage and Warren Millar were there to capture the day as it unfolded.

Being at the third and final epic installment of Festevol was a reminder of just how small the music world is, and what a beautiful thing it is to see so many familiar faces in one place. The all dayer started at 1pm and by an hour or two in the venue was already filling up pretty quick. The atmosphere all through the event was fantastic, with live gigs being back for a few weeks now, I sensed people were more at ease with being in a large sea of sweaty people again – which we have all missed dearly.

One of the first bands that stood out for me on Saturday was the explosive and captivating Gen and the Degenerates, I’d seen them live a few years ago and they have certainly upped their game massively since then. Their new single ‘Runaway Blues’ is also definitely one to add to your ‘walking through town feeling hot and bad-ass’ type playlists.

Phoebe Green FestEvol: Warren Millar

After Gen and the Degenerates was Phoebe Green, who brought us nostalgia inducing alt synth pop with vocals that brought to mind the likes of Wolf Alice and Soko – kind of deadpan spoken wordy stuff that works incredibly well with the sweet sound of swirly pop. They’ve definitely nailed that sound for sure and were a delight to listen to.

The next band I’ll talk about is a group I’ve been wanting to see live for a while now and they did not disappoint. They’re a black feminist punk trio by the name of Big Joanie and have gained huge critical acclaim since their conception from the London punk scene in 2013. They connected with the audience effortlessly and drew in more and more people throughout their set with the raw and stunning vocals and absolute powerhouse rhythm section.

There was also a basement stage which was emanating sweet raucous midway through the evening that called me downstairs. This Cramps-Esque sound sludge was from no other than The Lotts who I also had the pleasure of seeing a few weeks back at ArtsClub at another Evol gig. These are definitely a band you need to catch live whilst you can still afford their tickets!

The Lotts FestEvol: Warren Millar

Outside in the garden, there were some killer DJ sets keeping the energy high all throughout the event, Tokky Horror’s set in particular was one that had me staying outside despite the rain, especially when the prodigy came on. Also, a special mention to the best ‘invisifries’ in Liverpool, which were served at the food stall in the garden – 10/10.

Later on in the evening, The Big Moon was on the main stage. This band has a special place in my heart and to be able to finally see them live actually turned out to be quite an emotional experience. i realised this was the first band I have seen since before the pandemic where I’ve known all the words and sang along to every song, I forgot what it felt like to be a proper fan in an audience looking up to a band you’ve listened to religiously for years and not wanting their set to end. That feeling along with their impeccable songwriting and genuine authenticity on stage was so immersive and the whole crowd including myself were hanging on to their every word it felt like. The Big Moon are a band who have undeniably honed their craft as musicians and especially as songwriters – an incredible set from an incredible band who are well deserving of their notoriety.

The Big Moon FestEvol: Warren Millar

2nd to last on were the fantastic Black Honey. Their set transported me to a Tarantino film in the desert with bangers like ‘Spinning Wheel’ and ‘Corrine’. Izzy the singer has a natural rock star presence on stage and the whole band are a very in sync and well put together unit that was a pleasure to listen to and watch. Something I realised during Black Honey’s set when Izzy called all the identifying women to the front, was how refreshingly diverse Festevol’s lineup has been – especially on Saturday. I think Liverpool’s scene can be sometimes dominated by all white-male bands, who are usually playing indie music derivative of the brit-pop bands before them. There is certainly a shift happening in the culture within the city though I think, and promoters like Evol are certainly a part of that.

Black Honey FestEvol: Warren Millar

The Last band of the night were The Orielles, I’d heard a lot about this band in Liverpool for quite a while but wasn’t quite sure what to expect from their music. They did a sound job of keeping the energy up amongst a somewhat fatigued crowd by the end of the night with their pumped alt dream pop tunes, and jangly guitar reminiscent of 80s indie bands like the Wedding Present and The Smiths. The vocals also called to mind early Cocteau Twins, which can never be a bad thing. Overall a great closer to the night, also definitely worth mentioning the band have also written and directed their own film ‘La Vita Olistica’ which was screened the night before at Leaf on Bold Street, from which the music is now also available to buy!

A fantastic end to a fantastic trilogy – Thank you Festevol!