New York three piece, Sunflower Bean returned to headline the Wedgewood Rooms tonight in front of a small intimate crowd. Their long awaited third album, Headful of Sugar’ is due to drop on 6th May via Lucky Number and tonights show featured plenty of material from the forthcoming album.
Lead singer and bassist, Julia Cumming, referenced that they wished the album could have already been out in the world for these gigs so that everybody was familiar with the new work but this really didn’t stop the band nor the crowd from enjoying what was to unfold. The set opened with ‘Headful of Sugar’ the title track from the new album. ‘Twentytwo’ from their debut album shows off Julia’s impeccable vocal range.
I’d forgotten how catchy ‘Easier Said’ is from the band’s first album, with its riff from Kivlen, this follows straight into the most recent release ‘I Don’t Have Control Sometimes’ with its upbeat, snappy pop tempo which was written to celebrate the positive and negative effect of Julia’s moments of recklessness.
We are further treated to some new numbers from the forthcoming album in the form of “Who Put You up To This,’ Beat The Odds’ and “Shake’. Sandwiched in between was the excellent “Wall Watcher’ with its dirty sound.
We were also teated to some superb support bands tonight with Prima Queen and Lime Garden. Prima Queen were short on numbers tonight with just best friends Louise and Kristen available to play but this didn’t stop them perform some beautifully striped down versions of their songs with just electric guitars with Kristen also playing the violin too. Lime Garden really impressed as well with their laid back, uplifting sound, ‘Clockwork’ was particular favourite from their set.
Tonight rounded off a great weekend of music for me, having spent the weekend in Brighton catching a Warmduscher, Wet Leg and Father John Misty play in some of the smaller venues down there.
