Modern Marriage review Future Yard 17/04/22
Modern Marriage review
Future Yard 17/04/22
I’m heading across the river for tonight’s show at Future Yard, Birkenhead. Usually, I make my way through the hustle and bustle of Liverpool’s streets but tonight is a bit different.
The streets are empty, yet I have high hopes for Modern Marriage. This isn’t the first time I have watched them live and I always look forward to the lively and unique performance they put on. They finish off Future Yard’s “First On Weekender” tonight and I have no doubt it will be a perfect performance to complete the event.
Walking into the hall, you can tell it’s a rainy Easter Sunday, however, it only took a few of their enthusiastic fans to create the usual energetic atmosphere at their gigs. Spirits were high and Modern Marriage were ready to take the stage to their usual entry song ‘Bang Bang’ by Nancy Sinatra. In this case, however, that wasn’t the song the trio walked on to. Instead, an unexpected and completely random song (some sort of Japanese reggae) played through the hall taking everybody off guard, immediately sending confusion and smiles throughout the band members and regular fans. This was unintentionally a perfect start to the night and set the tone for an intimate and personal gig.
Modern Marriage_Credit: Nathan Cole
This pop-rock band was formed amidst lockdown in 2021 and is a combination of musicians from both sides of the Mersey. For a band that only started playing gigs in December 2021, Modern Marriage has built up a passionate set of regular fans who always bring a brilliant energy to the audience of their shows. Their connection with fans and the crowd is simply unique compared to most bands, with constant jokes and interactions with the audience between songs. I love this bond at their shows, it really makes everybody feel involved and part of what makes the night memorable.
The band kicked off the set with an energetic song ‘Lobster Pot.’ Lead singer, Ben Savage makes this tune what it is with an upbeat performance and high energy voice. His loud “hey!” that kicks off the song immediately lit up the crowd as they realised the kind of energy that they had coming for the rest of the night. The song only gets better with bass player Lewis Hall and his vocal support on each chorus, lifting the song to have more dimension and interest.
Modern Marriage_Credit: Nathan Cole
My personal favourite followed and is always fun to hear live. ‘Grim Up North’ has a “Swingy” sound and is full of clever lines, lyrics like “your barrel of laughs is full of Carling” make for an enjoyable listen and give the song more meaning and emotion than most. Throughout this song and the rest of their set, drummer Danny Johnson shines with a spirited performance. Not only does he give the band an excellent foundation and rhythm to each song, his stage presence compliments the band’s animated act. Then it was time for the highly anticipated song ‘The Ballad of Kenny the Ticket Man.’ This is a favourite amongst fans and the tight crowd was just as energised as usual, phone torches lit up and even a lighter swayed through the air. Parts of this song certainly switch up the pace and give a break from the loud and fast paced power of most songs. This is a refreshing tune to hear from a rock band and gives a different angle on the popular genre. ‘IKEA Flatpack’ is their latest song and another of their distinctive tunes. Talking to the band, they told me that a string quartet will be included on the recorded, studio version, which excites me.
The night ended with the same vitality as the rest of the night. As the event finished, the band posed on stage with a first time listener who clearly enjoyed the night with his passionate dancing and compliments in between songs. Drummer Danny topped his night off by giving him his sticks and you can tell it made his day.
I can’t wait to keep watching Modern Marriage live, I know as time goes on that this talented group will keep delivering compelling performances on stage. Not only this but I look forward to hearing the debut single they plan to release soon.
Modern Marriage_Credit: Nathan Cole
Chatting with Lewis after the show, he told me that their next gig is at Brick Street on the 1st of May. This one is quite exciting as special guest Jeremy Corbyn will be attending. Even if you have seen Modern Marriage before or not, I still recommend you get yourself down to this one and check them out.
Review and Photos by Nathan Cole
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