The Clause at the Engine Rooms, Southampton (21.11.2024) with Tom A. Smith + Auden supporting.
It’s freezing – proper zero degrees. Weather reports and social media reaction has been hysterical for half the day, after some morning snow but a clear run on glistening roads across the New Forest to Southampton gets us to The Engine Rooms. (More notes on the venue here in my venue blog.)
I get a bench behind the mixing desk pen, once in, saving the knees and ankles for the main band. There are three bands tonight and I confirm who the supports are from the framed stage time listing near the entrance.
Auden are first up. Without the written clue I never would have fathomed what they said their name was. They are from Romsey, Hampshire… so, local and their set rumbles along nicely without me getting too involved. Just parked on the bench with a can of Guiness Zero. This isn’t a wild night – just glad to get here. Auden’s indie sounds good for a first hear mind.
(I catch up with Francis this evening, one of the friends who mentioned The Clause to me – thanks also to Tony and Tim – a good shout indeed. )
Next on is Tom A. Smith, from Sunderland who oozes confidence, with his band alongside. He’s just 20. On a browse I later I see he is playing a young Dave Stewart in a Eurythmics film coming out soon.
He is a notch up on quality and I peer over the mixing desk inquisitively. There’s something happening here and he deserves a bit more of a listen, but this half hour introduction is good.
I even forgive him an early introduction to Christmas (bah humbug) with his new seasonal track, This Christmas Time (Tom’s official YouTube link). “Sorry, it’s not December,” he apologises, before advertising his associated Christmas tree t-shirts on the merch stand, to make yourself look like a car air freshener, he warns.
The two opening bands hung together well – brief sets, long enough to find out about them, and complementary to the main act. No undue waiting about on a cold, alcohol free, mid-week for this grey-haired gig goer.
The Clause are from Birmingham and started out playing in 2016. It’s a long road – a trail of singles since 2017 but no albums to date. The Weekend Millionaire 5-track EP looks to be their most recent and significant release so far. They play all five tracks from it tonight.
Initially, when the band start, I stand back a bit from the left speaker stack, against the side wall. Handy for pics but the sound, especially bass, was booming a bit, well a lot – maybe off the wall – and I moved back to the mix desk after a few songs and it sounded good so not sure if the sound got a tweak or what.
Frontman, Pearce Macca, is quick to rally the crowd – the place is about half full, maybe 300 in – with “are you ready, Southampton!” ..and “come on, Southampton, let’s hear yer”. It works. Everyone seems eager.
There’s some intricate guitar work (lead guitarist Liam Deakin) amid the choruses to get hooked on. This indie rock has variation – great guitar sounds and the delivery must come from their recent years developing a local Birmingham fan base – they know how to play to a crowd.
When I video bits at gigs, if I do, I generally just pick a couple of songs and try it, camera or phone. If I’m in the way, I don’t. Hence, I like side wall or the cover of pillars. Here, the mix desk rear barriers provide me with a sort of giant rock’n’roll Zimmer frame…a supportive lean. No one watching from behind so also convenient for a video. Tonight I grab one of the anthemic track, Time of Our Lives and, as it happens, it is one of my picks of the set. There’s almost a Liam growl in there somewhere. (Link is to my YouTube channel.)
It a bit surprising an album hasn’t emerged yet – plenty of really strong singles though and now this latest EP. It’s going to be worth having when it comes.
They already have a clutch of firm crowd favourites to fit into this hour or so long set. Bassist, Jonny Fyffe, is up on his monitor enjoying the moment by the end.
I look forward to seeing this lot again. There’s plenty for me here.
They finish with In My Element, a single from 2019, which has a distinctive opening riff of fuzzed guitar – have a listen to the official video. (YouTube link). Love it.
Gigs with Ivan 