Afflecks Palace at Hare & Hounds, Birmingham / Gig Review

“Can you take one step forward, there are some VIP seats available…we won’t charge extra” James Fender aka “J”, frontman of Mancunian 4 piece Afflecks Palace asks the decent sized Sunday night turn out in Birmingham’s Kings Heath. For a fledgling band just wrapping up their first UK tour, this request could easily fall on deaf ears. But his cheeky-chappie confidence seems to work its magic with people obligingly moving towards the stage as the band strike up with ‘Everything Is An Attempt To Be Human, with it’s swathes of psychedelic guitar and Stone Roses soul. 

As unashamed acolytes of the Baggy era, with their name coming from the Madchester indie market Mecca where the scene’s loose fit style was fashioned, the influence of this liberating time can be heard in all their songs. ‘This City Is Burning Alive” the first track of their soon to be released debut album “What Do You Mean It’s Not Raining” has a punchy chorus that whips up the room with the same life affirming belief that was at the core of the whole scene. ‘Forever Young’, introduced by J as something that started off as ‘a doss about’ rolls dreamily around guitarist Dan Stapleton’s jangly Smiths style riff. Spreading the love on the swamp rock of ‘It All Comes Around’ the track arrives ready made with a chorus that can be chanted like it’s a certified stone cold anthem.

The between song banter by the bucket-hatted frontman, who bounces around the stage like he is having the time of his life soon gets him onside with the crowd. And with such an even balance of modesty and enthusiasm it’s not hard to see why the band are getting traction from this sold out tour. Add to this the fact that they are going it alone without any management, booking venues off their own back and embodying a DIY spirit (of Spike Island), Afflecks Palace are seizing the day and leading the charge for ‘Nu Madchester’.

Words by Andy G