Vulgarians
-SOUP KITCHEN, MANCHESTER-
Record Store Day is a time for people to get together to celebrate their love of records, all the while supporting their local music stores.
The Northern Quarter in Manchester is the hub where all the action takes place. As soon as I step off the bus in Shudehill I am met by crowds of people. It’s a sunny Saturday so there’s bound to be a mass of people ready to worship the sun but I can’t help but feel this day is different and there’s a real buzz. You only need to check Twitter to read about the eager music lovers queuing up the night before to be in with the chance of grabbing that limited edition record they’ve had their eye on in the press. #RSD2018 has been trending all day and now I’m finally right in the action.
It takes me around five minutes to reach a street party that’s formed in the centre of the Northern Quarter, it feels like a festival! Many people are equipped with their canvas bags with logos of the local legends such as Piccadilly Records. This all hypes me up as I walk further to meet my friend Parisa.
On the agenda today is to attend Soup Kitchen’s annual Record Store Day Live ‘all-dayer.’ Starting at 4pm and finishing at 10pm, this is an ideal spot to drop in throughout the day, post-record buying and pre-Saturday night antics. It feels strange heading down to a dark and smoky basement when we were just in a sunny buzzing street. That also may explain why we were the first two people in the venue.
4.30pm is approaching and still the venue is empty. Do you know that moment when you think a band might start and you’re all alone? Yeah that thought crept into our heads!
15 minutes after schedule a few more guests arrive and the band appear on stage. Being the first band is always scary but these guys seemed at ease and totally cool with their surroundings. The band is Strange Friends and they are a perfect pick to start the show. Thankfully during their first song the crowd grows. Strange Friends consist of two guys, named for obvious reasons. Between songs they make jokes and the crowd welcomes them. The whole set feels like you are just hanging out with a couple of mates, they make the crowd laugh at points and the music is put together well. The lead singer has a strong indie voice and the drummer lends his almost operatic voice to the mix. Think Talking Heads-esque. I look forward to seeing more of them, after a year off they are ready to gig again and I’m glad I found them. That’s exactly what this day is about, finding new talent!
An incredible six bands are lined up, Strange Friends, I’m 6, Mutabase, Possum, Inland Taipan and headlining is Vulgarians. You are bound to find some new favourites and that’s exactly what happened. There are three bands that impress me to the point of booking tickets to future gigs and they are Strange Friends, Mutabase and of course Vulgarians. At £4 a ticket, I highly recommend you check this event out next year!
With Strange Friends off the stage, the next act to wow us is Mutabase, she is incredible! I would say she is a performance artist in her own right and she captures the crowd with her haunting voice and impressive songs. She completely owns the stage, and calls herself a “DIY electro punk rocker.” With a few gigs already under her belt it seems today is the biggest one to date which is hard to believe. I can see Cristi becoming a big star and I would buy tickets to her next gig in a heartbeat.
The headliners today are Vulgarians: they immediately hype up the crowd with their heavy bass and big personalities, it’s what everyone wants from a headlining act, a band that makes you wish the night could continue on. They are impressive with their sound and you forget you’re in a tiny basement, but I can’t help but feel this might be the only time I see them in a space like this. They will release their debut record later this year, but it doesn’t stop this crowd from enjoying themselves as if they’ve heard it a hundred times. They have a few gigs lined up in the next month and I’m excited to see where they are this time next year.
Record Store day continues into the early hours of the morning but a gig like this with all new local talent to discover is exactly the kind of gig you should attend. Even if you’re a complete record newbie, there is always something for everyone at Soup Kitchen.
See you next year?
Vulgarians: Soundcloud | Facebook | Twitter
Studying BA (Hons) Design Futures at The University Of Salford hoping to move onto an MA in Social Media. In love with Manchester's music scene, i will never move!Best Gig - Massive Attack @ The Big Chill Festival 2010Best Album - Damien Rice 'O'Guilty Pleasure - B52's 'Love Shack' (Don't judge)
