Salford-formed psych band, Wax Head, played a brazen, audacious gig to remember as they headlined at the iconic independent music venue the White Hotel.
Crowd surfing guitarists, drum kits in mosh pits and an audience of headbangers can only mean one thing – Wax Head are back in town. The four-piece returned to The White Hotel in Salford last Saturday to play a headline show. Manchester-based record label, Sour Grapes Records, who drummer-frontman Lewis Fletcher called, mid-set, “people who really care about music,” put the whole night on.
The closer I got to The White Hotel on Saturday night, the more long-haired people in various rock band t-shirts I started to see. When I reached the shady-looking but vibrant-feeling smoking area at the venue’s entrance, they huddled away from the rain together, sharing shelter by means of makeshift umbrellas – their beat-up leather and corduroy jackets.
Cigarette smoke escaped from under them. Wax Head gigs seem to foster this community at their gigs often; wine-lipped, beer-breathed strangers can be heard raucously laughing together like old mates. The gig was opened by two ardently spirited support acts. First local band Fruit, and then powerhouse duo Slap Rash, whose ferocious energy captivated the audience and built a massive buzz for the headliners.
Wax Head played roughly an hour-long set, featuring bangers from their EP Salt Fat Acid Heat as well as fan-favourite singles like The Worm and latest release, Clatter Cutters. The band held their signature feverish performance style throughout, seemingly hypnotising the audience into chaotic non-stop moshing for the duration of the gig. Guitarist Harry Bunker even crowd surfed on top of the audience while playing at one point. Archie Jones impressed with bewitching keys solos and Evan Chase psyched the crowd right up with sonorous bass.
Frontman Lewis Fletcher, ensured a scorcher of a gig, singing and drumming with frantic, unrelenting energy, swallowing the mic and even moving his drum kit into the mosh pit for the final song. This made the audience around him go absolutely feral. If there’s one thing Wax Head are most known for it’s putting on an extremely captivating, bold, astounding show that is truly built for the joy of their audience.
Since their first White Hotel headline, Wax Head have completed another UK tour, as well as a European tour. In June, they played a live session at Radio Six Music and have had more big-name radio play following this. The band continues to hit milestone after milestone with no signs of slowing down, playing Bristol and London this week, and hopefully returning to Salford soon.
★★★★★
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