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Review: Folly Group, Strange Brew – ‘Contagiously groovy’
Folly Group‘s set-up is a straight up line – two percussionists, a guitarist and a bassist – all in a row. The four piece’s line-up is as peculiar as it is visually arresting.
This structure is rigid for most the night, they’ve found a unique formation and have stuck with it. It’s a far cry from some of their fellow post-punk outfits, however, Shame and Idles – this is not.
This set up, alongside a first half dominated by songs from their brand-spanking new album, Down There!, offered little in terms of raucous energy – that their discography can certainly offer.
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The highlights of the opening half include, my personal favourite and Folly Group’s debut single, Fashionista, and new single Big Ground.
Despite a slight low energy feel to the gig so far, these two contagiously groovy songs start to warm up the crowd – for it only to be curtailed by two moody new cuts, New Feature and Bright Night.
It really sums up the South London quartet, they can’t be bracketed off into just post-punk, and their eclectic output doesn’t always lend to constant crowd ecstasy.
But, obviously, they know that, so then comes the second half.
And it’s kicked off with Butt No Rifle. I’ve never seen such an energy shift at a gig before, suddenly the crowd were into it – in large due to one of the best bass riffs this side of post-punk’s latest revival.
The crowd go from timid head banging and feet tapping to joyous dancing with their mates.
The switch in tempo is capitalised on with lead vocalist Sean Harper, escaping the constraints of his drum kit, and guitarist and frequent joint-vocalist, Louis Milburn, breaking their rigid, linear formation.
They follow-up with two new album highlights, I’ll Do What I Can and the undeniable banger that is Strange Neighbour – in the top five songs about strange neighbours, surely!
Pepped up by Joe Talbot’s (Idles) favourite song of 2021, Sand Fight, and, Down There! closer, Frame.
Harper then returns to his drum set, to deliver I Raise You (The Price of Your Head) a tune so good even the dragged along partners were singing along.
They left on a serious high, quashing any memories of the occasional first act lull.
Leaving the gig, you can help but think they are one of the most exciting talents coming out of this new wave of British post-punk.
Main photo: Harri Knight-Davis
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