Happyness - Think Tank, Newcastle, 24/4/2017
by Adrian Huggins
published: 27 / 5 / 2017
intro
Adrian Huggins sees London-based purveyors of college rock Happyness bring their sunshine to a rainy Newcastle
On an unreasonably cold April night recently, London three-piece Happyness bestowed their delightful college-rock-meets-upbeat-shoegaze noise on the expectant residents of the city of Newcastle. After all, who doesn’t love a Monday night gig? The band played to a fairly well attended Think Tank, a fantastic venue that consistently hosts great bands and is also blessed with a great sound, or at least really good gear and a good soundman which is befitting of a band such as Happyness who sounded clear as a whistle, giving punters the optimum chance of achieving climactic eargasm. Happyness are the combined human entities commonly known as Benji Compston (Guitar/Keyboards/Vocals), Jon EE Allan (Guitar/Vocals/Bass) and Ash Cooper (Drums). They are joined by a stick-thin model-looking Frenchman on bass for the purposes of playing live. Having seen Happyness before at the End of the Road festival I felt this extra member helped the band hone their sound, giving them free reign to better replicate their studio sound. Even if the Frenchman in question made me green with envy with his gorgeous hair and minimal waisline (God I hate the youngsters sometimes), looking all good. The band's set was a perfect blend of material from their first album ‘Weird Little Birthday’ and their very recent album ‘Write In’. The earlier half of the set was drawn predominately from their older material which lends itself so well to the live setting, the extra energy and extra volume lifting songs like ‘Everything I Do Is All Right’ and ‘Great Minds Think Alike, All Brains Taste The Same’. The dreamier moments sounded sublime live, and well and truly shut the audience up, which created a pin-dropping atmosphere for songs like ‘The C is A B A G’, which was crystal clear. The three boys and magnificent Frenchman showed off their mellow side helping you forget that it was not only a Monday night, but a rainy and a cold one. All negativity is blown away when Happyness make their way through the likes of ‘Falling Down’, ‘Bigger Glass, Lesser Full’ and the Teenage Fanclub-tastic ‘Anna Lisa Calls’ - an instant live classic. Predominant lead singer Jon EE Allan delivers the odd quip from his ever wry smiling mouth in-between songs but the joy of seeing this band like really comes from witnessing how much they are enjoying playing the songs. You get distinct impression that if they were not in the band they would be the ones stood at the front making the most of it. The band finishes their set with the award winning song ‘Montreal Rock Band Somewhere’, really hammering home just how perfect they sound live - managing to pull off the gentle moments without losing anything in the live setting.
Band Links:-
https://www.facebook.com/Happynessmusichttp://happynessuk.tumblr.com/
https://twitter.com/Happynessmusic
Picture Gallery:-
soundcloud
reviews |
Write In (2017) |
Equally enjoyable second album from London-based three-piece Happyness, the follow-up to the critically-acclaimed 'Weird Little Birthday' |
Happyness EP (2014) |
most viewed articles
current edition
The Church - Interview with Steve KilbeySimon Heavisides - Destiny Stopped Screaming: The Life and Times of Adrian Borland
In Dreams Begin Responsibilities - #15- On Being Dignified and Old aka Ten Tips From Jah Wobble On How To Be Happy.
Secret Shine - Interview
Vetchinsky Settings - Interview
Repomen - Ten Songs That Made Me Love...
Jack Roscoe - Interview
Near Jazz Experience - Interview
Sami Sumner - Interview
Flaming Stars - Interview
previous editions
Heavenly - P.U.N.K. Girl EPPrisoners - Interview
Joy Division - The Image That Made Me Weep
Allan Clarke - Interview
Michael Lindsay Hogg - Interview
Jimmy Nail - Interview
Jonny Fluffypunk - Interview
Joy Division - The Image That Made Me Weep
Dwina Gibb - Interview
Bluebells - Interview with Ken McCluskey
most viewed reviews
current edition
Lewis 'Burner' Pugh - Bullets for BreadIan Hunter - Defiance Part 2: Fiction
Inutili - A Love Supreme
Kula Shaker - Natural Magick
Smalltown Tigers - Crush On You
Hillbilly Moon Explosion - Back in Time
My Life Story - Loving You is Killing Me
David Cross Band - Ice Blue Silver Sky
Beyonce - Cowboy Carter
Ty Segall - Three Bells
Pennyblackmusic Regular Contributors
Adrian Janes
Amanda J. Window
Andrew Twambley
Anthony Dhanendran
Benjamin Howarth
Cila Warncke
Daniel Cressey
Darren Aston
Dastardly
Dave Goodwin
Denzil Watson
Dominic B. Simpson
Eoghan Lyng
Fiona Hutchings
Harry Sherriff
Helen Tipping
Jamie Rowland
John Clarkson
Julie Cruickshank
Kimberly Bright
Lisa Torem
Maarten Schiethart