The Vryll Society // 21st October 2015

Hidden Charms

EVOL's last gig at The Kazimier on Wednesday night was one of the most awaited gigs of the year, with a line-up worthy of god-like status.

To get into the venue meant squeezing past an abundance of wide-eyed audience members, buzzing for the night ahead. And first on stage, Sankofa did not disappoint.

Now regulars to the venue's shadows, the Liverpool quartet are certainly ones to watch after an exceptional Pledge Music campaign in conjunction with Sound City Festival.

An impressive number of everlasting solos and stomach churning vocals made the audience sway with every beat. When the time eventually arose for them to step away, there was promise of more to come ready to pounce within the new year.

The majority of the crowd vacated to the smoking area amidst the break with an obligatory Red Stripe in hand. When it was time for London based, Hidden Charms, there was a desperate tussle to reach the stage.

The Vryll Society

Their latest EP, Dreaming of Another Girl is the catalyst to their sudden rise to fame and was the best received track of the set. Bell-bottom jeans combined with long, flowing hair pushed psych boundaries off the scale, aided by long winded riffs falling about with heavy stomps, exciting the crowd by throwing tasty harmonies their way.

There's no wonder this band are set to become 2016's prodigy, no-one wanted them to leave. So electrifying their set possessed a bountiful of nostalgia.

And when headliners, The Vryll Society took to the stage, that was it, everyone went wild.

Showcasing brand new EP, Pangea, each track gleamed with its psychedelic krautrock sound in the dimly lit façade, jostling with the large turn-out.

The Vryll Society exposed futurism, drawing influences from The Stone Roses and Amon Düül. Front-man, Michael Ellis, shape-shifted on the spot, caressing the mic with hair draping over his face, adding mystery to the celestial instrumental.


No-one wanted to move, complete strangers whispered in awe, speaking of only adoration for the quintet. When a gig does its job properly, people leave with a new mate - this happened on Wednesday night.

Words Lauren Jones