Live – Cucamaras | Shady Baby | Wonderbug | M. Woodroe at The Hope & Ruin

Cucamaras | Shady Baby | Wonderbug | M. Woodroe at The Hope & Ruin

With more local talent on display in the shape of Shady Baby and M. Woodroe, an overly long but appreciated trip from London for Wonderbug, and Cucamaras repping Nottingham, last week saw all four acts play at Brighton’s Hope & Ruin for the latest Hidden Herd line-up.

Steadily building their presence on the local scene, M. Woodroe pit delicate vocals and occasional screams against dark instrumental backing. It feels as though their sound is still developing and it will be interesting to see where it leads. For those in the area, there is a pending gig at The Bee’s Mouth in Hove this Thursday (6th Feb).

With grunge infused indie tunes filling the stage, Wonderbug gave a great performance with multi-vocals and a hint of Republica with added intensity. Again, some more local dates on the cards as the band play Havana Club in Chichester on Thursday (6th Feb) and The Prince Albert in Brighton on Friday (7th Feb). These are followed by visits on the rest of their current tour to Bournemouth, Oxford, Reading, Exeter, Bristol and Swansea.

Shady Baby were up next, their indie-garage sound becoming more cohesive over time. Recent single Held In reflects a nod towards the 90s, a punchy Mary Chain without the feedback comes to mind. Heading stateside next for New Colossus festival in New York, keep an eye out for further UK dates to come.

Headliners Cucamaras are riding pretty high right now with a wave of impressive live reviews and new music to boot. They took no prisoners with their set, jumping straight in with bags of energy, and always nice to see a band that looks like they’re enjoying every second. A punk/new wave leaning and attitude kept the crowd happy until closing time. Cucamaras’ new single Laughing is out now (taken from forthcoming EP of the same name due to land in May).

A packed venue from early till late is always a strong indicator of a good night, and this one certainly delivered.

M. Woodroe