Bloodworm @ The Garibaldi Hotel (18/04/25)

Bloodworm reconciled with The Garibaldi Hotel for an unmissable evening as Picky New Promotions hosted a showcase of epic alternative proportion. With support from Longheads (London), Fever Rouge (Brighton), and The Pit Monkey (Northampton) the room buzzed with energy through the night with illustrious names taking to the stage that Northampton knows and loves so well.

The Pit Monkeys:

Fresh faced indie-pop four piece ‘The Pit Monkey’ gave something to smile about with their upbeat energy and catchy radio rock songs as they opened up the evening. Delivering teenhood nostalgia on a bed of vibrant guitars and uniform rhythms there was a lot to enjoy in terms of euphonious sonics articulation. One could imagine being quite content watching these guys on a sunny field with a cold beverage in hand given the buoyant nature of their songwriting and chirpy disposition.

Being the local boys of the evening there was a respectable turn out and a lot of love for this late addition to the event. Even being somewhat out of place on the line up ‘The Pit Monkey’ soon had the room under their influence. A well arranged mashup of Bigmouth Strikes Again by The Smiths and ‘Jackie Down The Line’ by Fontaines DC was a guilty win over for me being a big fan of both, and a definite point to this band's artistic influences.

Despite their need to be that ever so tighter as a unit (which will come with time) these guys really got the room swaying and were a sheer joy to behold. It’s warming to see a young band of close friends performing fun loving songs on stage together and enjoying their time doing so; The Pit Monkey are definitely one to keep an eye on on their steady rise through the local music scene.

Fever Rouge:

One of Brighton’s most exciting bands ‘Fever Rouge’ joined us on the first date of their current tour, celebrating the release of EP ‘Feed The Villain’. Bringing headline energy early on in the night with a sweaty and explosive stage show they did phenomenal work of invoking the spirit of their music in physical form. Showcasing a well balanced set of songs stemming from an eclectic range of genres ‘The Garibaldi’ was given a taste of punk, grunge, shoegaze and (dare I say it) indie from this alternative four piece.

Built up on the drummer's flashy rhythmic dexterity combined with the thick voice of the bass guitar gave a well established backbone to this band's live sound while the throaty guitars brought gritty, shaping the band's rough edge. 

EP title track ‘Feed The Villain’ proved to be a showstopper with its fiery attitude and notorious songwriting leaving a mark well established in the audience's head. However a rather beautiful performance of The Buzz was a personal highlight to this set, expelling an air of introspective melancholy that brought the studio recording to life on stage. I was ever so slightly let down they didn’t end with it. 

With a front man with charisma and a palpable complexion it’s hard not to fall victim to their eccentric performance, which makes ‘Fever Rough” stand out in such an over-saturated industry. Along with their incisive catalog of songs it’s no wonder why these guys are on the rise.

Longheads:

Coming up from the depths of South London ‘Longheads’ took us on an astral journey through their psychedelic soundscape of arena worthy rock. With influences stemming from modern-psych, stoner doom, kraut rock and 70’s proto-metal the sonic capabilities these guys were capable of seemed endless through their entrancing performance. Coming with a back catalog of epic songs weavering between five to ten minutes there was no questioning their intention to not just make this a show, but an experience.

A feeling of time almost being altered was brought by the cascading rhythmic complexity of the drums while the sonic layering of guitars and synths drove the hypnotic sense of floating in space. Although discreet the airy vocals played almost as checkpoints through the abstract nature of the set, giving some sense of guidance and location.

Despite the static nature of the bands stage presence it played sagaciously in their favour giving them the air of being lost in their own music and dissociated from the outside world. With so many notable highlights the quirkiness of seeing a pineapple shaker being used was a personal favorite of mine, bringing an atom of comedy into an otherwise earnest performance.

‘Longheads’ achieved the task of making a half-hour set into a coherent stream of songs creating a truly immersive experience for the audience. The cross over between songs was almost unrecognisable thanks to their elaborate arrangements and intelligent songwriting. An abrupt end did act as a sudden fall back to reality which could have been softened ever so more, however did leave the crowd desperate for more.

Bloodworm:

Nottingham noise bringers ‘Bloodworm’ delved into the dark side of the mind with their enigmatic blend of gothic-rock and post-punk. Making a headline slot seem like second nature this well versed three piece embodies the spirit and mystery of their music through a dynamic exposé of human emotion. Letting their songs speak volumes with an illusive performance their songs seemed to resonate with the air of the room feeling right at home in the bohemian venue.

With sharp guitar tones, wide melodic exploration and expressive dynamics it was hard not to be mesmerising by Bloodworm’s vivid live sound, coming enveloped in a shroud of ambiguity that gets the brain box moving. The repetitive nature of their songs mixed with hypnotic riffs and symmetrical rhythms gave their songs a feverish feeling of getting stuck in the head while also tantalising you into the immersive conceptual depths of their music.

A personal highlight during this set was the life brought to ‘Back of a Hand’ through the band's on stage delivery. The abrasive guitar melody and wistful vocals diluted with the band's insoluble and dissociative demeanor, painting a picture of the song's reflective themes. 

For a band slightly further afield from their stomping grounds they pulled in quite the crowd with some rather memorable scenes occurring including a stage invasion by a rogue audience member at the end. For what it's worth I was pleasantly infatuated by Bloodworm’s compelling live show, drawing the evening to a profound end. For what it's worth I'll be keeping them hot on the radar and embedded in this month's playlist, speaking hopefully for all when I hope it wont be too long till they make the trip down again.