Ain't are grungy rock in the vein of a female fronted Superchunk. It's nothing I've not seen before but it's decent enough, and it's a style I always liked anyway.
Skinner open with a quick burst on the bongos before they launch into some uptempo funk. They still have an indie sensibility which is mainly provided by the singer. They remind me of the '80s soul rebel scene mixed with noughties indie rock. They have a good level of energy and this really elevates them. There are plenty of noisy moments too, and they switch back and forth between noisy indie and funk. One track sounds like a less garage punk version of 'Mescaline' by The Sultans Of Ping. In fact, there are some similarities between them and The Sultans, only Skinner are a more current, updated version. The penultimate track is a punk rock thrashabout and the bongos even make an appearance here, which is great because there is a frisson of excitement whenever they play them. Eclectic for sure but very good.
Frankie Valli's 'Can't Take My Eyes Off You' gets everyone in a party mood before Gurriers start. 'Nausea' is a fucking perfect opener. Those air raid siren guitars just create tension and excitement and act as a call to arms for the chaos which will follow. The crowd are fully invested right from the start, and the band never let go of them. 'Close Call' is just as feverish. The downtuned bass groove of 'Des Goblin' is just made to make people move, and the Sabbathian mid-section is stellar. 'Dipping Out' is both thrilling and fierce. Everything they play tonight is incendiary, including 'No More Photos'. 'Prayers' slows the pace down but is no less intense. 'Sign Of The Times' funky post-punk bassline is another floor filler. Things really reach fever pitch with a furious 'Approachable'. An intense 'Come And See' closes the show. This is the third time I've seen Gurriers in five months, and they never fail to blow the roof off.
Gurriers *****
Skinner ****
Ain't ***
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