Screaming Females Own The Stage In Leeds
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The name of New Jersey Band, Screaming Females, conjures up the impression of something heavy and saturated with feeling. Playing Leeds’ Brudenell Social Club on 20th April as part of a string of UK dates following the release of their sixth album 'Rose Mountain', the band demonstrate this to be the case.
The band play in the venues main room, but they do not take to its stage. Perhaps in keeping with their DIY Punk roots, the band play in front; the audience around intermingling with the band’s equipment. From the get go, Screaming Females sound tight! Lead singer and guitarist, Marissa Paternoster’s voice fills the venue and is as present and overwhelming as it is on their records. And though it is hard to work out the boundaries of the make-shift stage, the band, comprising also of Jarrett Dougherty on drums and King Mike on bass, mark out their own space. The set comprises of a mix of songs from 'Rose Mountain' and their previous albums. Playing tracks off 'Rose Mountain' such as "Empty Head", "Rose Mountain" and "Ripe" in the context of their older stuff, it demonstrates that there is a distinctiveness about Screaming Females new music. Playing Empty Head after ‘I Don’t Mind It’ from their 2010 album Castle Talk, the band has a definite sleeker sound though remain true to themselves, as the heavy bass riff in Empty Head demonstrates.
Though the band play almost flawlessly for the entire set, it is when they play "Lights Out" from 2009 album 'Power Move' and 'Ripe', that the audience is struck by the brilliant fierceness of Marissa’s playing. Throughout the set, it is hard to pin point the whereabouts of Marissa’s powerful voice and supreme guitar playing, as she interchanges frequently from playing standing to giving it her all from the floor. Had Screaming Females played on stage, the audience would not have the thrill of spotting the guitarist thrashing her guitar through the legs of audience members in front. Yet, Screaming Females never cease to play with extreme crispness in spite of the energy with which they play. The applause and appreciation the band receive after each song confirm that not only do Screaming Females own the ‘stage’, but their music is exciting and, as the band progresses, gets tighter and closer to perfection.
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Click Here Words By Ellie Brown
