The air last night was palpable with heat and good vibes, with each act weaving into one another flawlessly, with their genre of music and overall style.
Darcie Parker:
The first thing I noticed about Darcie was that she took off her shoes before getting on stage. I wondered why, but it was as if she had read my mind, as after their opening song ‘Be My Own Home,’ she clarified she was deaf. A three-piece based in Birmingham, the group brought a welcomed folksy atmosphere into the hot basement of the Sunflower Lounge. With Darcie on vocals, her partner Jake on acoustic guitar and Max on a cajon – something I had never heard of before and was surprised to hear so clearly in every song.
The group was supported by close friends eager to film the group’s accomplishments. Inbetween songs Darcie took time to engage with the audience, revealing that she loved Eminem as a child, and used to busk in Sheffield, a fact that seamlessly led the group into a cover of Amy Winehouse’s iconic ‘Back to Black.’ Darcie, during the group’s set, was having endless fun on stage, from the way she engaged with the crowd, to the way she danced along to the music breaks. It is clear performing and singing is what she loves to do.
A cover of The Dunwells’ ‘Better Than Life,’ closed their set, and shifted to a more intimate gig as it became a duo performance with Darcie helping her partner Jake sing with her, as it was his first time doing so on stage. The song, like the rest of their setlist, was beautifully played, and ended their set on a warm note.
The Teals:
As a born and bred Wolverhampton resident, it made me happy to see the Teals be so loved by the crowd, who gathered closely for the set. Their support almost deafening, but it set the tone immediately for the band’s beachy-rock opening song ‘Catastrophe.’ The five-piece consisted of guitarist Aurora, pianist and tambourine player Darnell, Mais on drums, Thomas on bass, and Ryan as lead vocalist; the group had a confident rapport with each other and the crowd, which helped when a problem arose involving the guitar. The group riffed with the crowd, who supported Mais in telling Dr. Who jokes to keep the friendly and welcoming vibe ongoing.
After the guitar mishap, the group was able to continue like nothing happened, performing unreleased songs, and a cover of Rhianna’s ‘Shut Up and Drive,’ a song I had never heard played through the lens of a rock band, but loved, nonetheless. Despite the crowd waning more, The Teals closed their explosive set with ‘Dear Eva,’ performance adorned with light up drumsticks.
Bryony Williams:
The crowd for Bryony was filled with loving friends, family, and eager fans, all excited for the headliner; despite the unrelenting humidity. Another Wolverhampton local, the four- piece opened with ‘In-between Days,’ and set the crowd up for an energetic punk-ethereal experience that they didn’t want to end.
During the tunings between various songs, the rest of the band kept the audience entertained with the intros of the next song on the setlist, never leaving the crowd in silence. Bryony also took the time to speak to the crowd, explaining how happy she was to be playing once again in the Sunflower Lounge, something the audience was happy to hear, as was I, as the atmosphere there is unbeatable.
Whilst beginning the performance of their newest country sounding song ‘The Party,’ Bryony had a playful slip up claiming, ‘I’m cancelling the party,’ after forgetting the words. The audience was more than forgiving; with party hats given to a few in the crowd for good measure.
The group closed their set with ‘Trip Me Up,’ and advertised their fleeting merch, whilst offering to chat afterwards.