Words: Dana Kats / @danakats13
Now that gigs, shows and festivals are slowly returning to what finally feels like normal, I understand you are all looking for the best post-punk gigs to go to to blow off some well-deserved steam.
Well, look no further because do I have a treat for you!
London-based post-punk group Beige Banquet have just released their latest single ‘AWAKE’, which is the first single off their self-titled upcoming EP. The EP is penned for release on Friday 13th August 2021, with 10” Vinyl via Just Step Sideways Records (London) and cassette via Mangel Records (Berlin).
Having only recently formed in 2020, the five-piece band features Tom Brierley (Guitar/Vocals), Joe Munsey (Guitar), Danny Gillies (Bass), Ian Crafter (Drums) and Blake Carlson-Joshua (Percussion). With the upcoming release of their new EP, the band have announced headline shows in London and Leeds (see below for more info).
For listeners of Squid, Fontaines and Home Counties, Beige Banquet will soon prove to be one of your favourite listens of 2021.
Combining the obscure with the abrupt, ‘AWAKE’ introduces a repetitive guitar riff that enriches the track’s urgency, manifested through concise, to-the-point lyrics. The rapid vocals echo almost like an alarm along the continuous guitar lick, adding to the alertness Beige Banquet are trying to portray. The track makes excellent use of repetition, with a motorik drum machine beat that’s punctuated throughout by synthesised claps. The song reaches a powerful climax that is bound to leave your ears and your brain tingling.
Like their debut album, the EP was written and recorded by guitarist Tom Brierley in his bedroom studio during the third UK lockdown. However this release features collaborations with a cast of future bandmates and friends – clarinet by Theo Bergot, backing vocals by Joe Munsey and Benjamin Mace-Crossley, and additional vocals and lyrics by Rosie Pearce.
The self-titled EP is now available for pre-order via the Beige Banquet and Just Step Sideways Bandcamp pages. Better yet, catch them live in the flesh at one of the following shows:
July 28th – The Victoria, Dalston – w/ Pigeonhole
August 13th – Dream Bags Jaguar Shoes, Shoreditch (Release Show)
August 14th – Mabgate Bleach, Leeds (Release Show)