Photo Copyright Emily Powell-Chandler
Embarking on their second album tour ‘Sucker Punch’, The Velvet Hands play at The Moon Cardiff, displaying their skill, passion, and innovation within indie rock – a promising future for the genre.
Between the cosy underground feeling of The Moon and the punk themed merchandise on sale with handwritten prices, the atmosphere is that of anticipation to see the upcoming musicians in action. Before The Velvet Hands could take the stage, two Swansea based support bands warmed up the crowd.
Subterania opens the night, melodic vocals and classic rock inspired guitar solos effortlessly embellish their model indie rock setlist, encouraging their close fan base to sing along with their original songs. The attitude and swagger of the four-piece group are reminiscent of Britpop bands such as Oasis, with Dylan Cai (frontman) draping himself over the mic stand, while the band sports 2000s-inspired bucket hats, shaggy hair, and soft shells.
At times, their antics involve the lead guitarist and vocalist nursing lollypops mid song, appearing to be unbothered and happy while performing. A slight tonal change occurs when The Fiends take to the stage. The five-piece band could still be categorised as indie rock, however, the more sombre downcast lyrics combined with raspier vocals create a grunge feel with punk like shouts in the choruses. While different from the other act, their music still clearly resonates with the crowd, as fans scream along with the intense lyrics.
Despite The Moon not being at capacity, The Velvet Hands’ professionalism and enthusiasm shone through, as they took to the stage yelling “Hello Cardiff! How are you all doing?!” addressing the audience as if they were thousands.
The band’s indie rock music is tight and tidy, regularly switching between perfectly timed group shouts in the chorus, to only vocals and drums in the verse of ‘40 Up 40 Down’ all while bouncing in unison with instruments in hand, appearing as a seamless unit. While their music tends to fit into the indie rock genre, songs such as ‘Curtains Closed’ off their first album has a bluesy ballad element, slowing down their set and allowing audiences to focus on the relaxing melody.
While most of the vocals are performed by frontman Toby Mitchell, lead guitarist Dan Able and bass player Sam Hilder sing backing harmonies for many songs, Able even taking the lead on the single ‘Star’ to shake up their set. The Moons’ smaller stage allows for the band to use their entire environment for the show, with guitarists able to strut across the stage to perform solos or dance together.
During more aggressive punk songs, such as ‘Fallout’, Toby Mitchell is able to grip the ceiling and lean and sway, adding further drama to the music while Louis Mitchell attacks the drumkit. Keeping the energy high, the band’s penultimate song is their biggest hit ‘This Feeling’, punchy power chords hitting the crowd, followed by a singular cry of the title, the band keeping the silence sharp and the vocalists alternating who will shout the next line out creating a playful dynamic on stage.
Before their final song ‘Party’s Over’, Mitchell leads a practice sing along, preparing the crowd to join in for the last lines of their set - ‘I don’t wanna be your friend no more’ - challenging them to sing louder each time. Their set finishes and they thank Cardiff, promising to ‘be back!’. Despite the show being over, they do not stop, as they take time to personally sell and sign merchandise, chat and take photos with fans, proving themselves to be not only talented musicians but kind and appreciative of their fanbase. A promising band for the future of indie rock music.
Set List: 1. I Don’t Mind 2.40 Up 40 Down 3.Holiday in My Head 4. I wanna Be there 5.Star 6.Curtains
Closed 7.Fallout 8. Sucker Punch 9. Sick Of Living 10.Emotion 11. This Feeling 12.Party’s Over