“Are you ready for another song? I’ve got a little story behind this one.”
Nestled in the highest room of The University of Manchester’s Student Union building, a half-packed venue of best mates and proud parents prepared for a young lineup of label Scruff of the Neck’s bread and butter – Manchester indie bands.
We were there to see PoolEra, a new band taking medium-sized venues by storm despite having no music released. How do they do it? Maybe, we’ll find out.
After a great couple of support acts that left me surprised with their melancholy chords and dynamic performances (and the one obligatory Oasis tribute act that every indie show has to have), I had high hopes for PoolEra. Knowing little-to-nothing about them, I had, of course, painted images in my head of the usual bucket hats and guitar focused lad rock, some of which I was right about.
PoolEra’s set opened with a drum solo and the band (two guitarists, one bassist) crowding around the kit, ready for the drop into the first song, which came with a big chorus and a great rock voice.
Like the support bands, PoolEra’s played a somewhat heavier take on the indie rock formula, with overdrive cranked and big, Dave Grohl drum fills.
The energy died down after the PoolEra’s first song, and the band took time to speak to the audience: “It ain’t live music if stuff doesn’t go wrong,” the frontman laughs with the audience as he reattaches his guitar strap after nearly losing it during the first drop.
The second song was an Oasis cover – Morning Glory – and I had to check myself when I wanted to roll my eyes, remembering that this was a show for friends and family. Obviously, everyone in the room loved it, and it hiked the energy for the rest of the set. Not a bad shout, then.
PoolEra’s frontman owned the band’s energy. I found myself wanting backing vocals to bring up those big choruses and cut through the live mix … But this wasn’t a show for musical snobbery. As yet another anecdote is told about how the bass player had been brought into the band since they had last played the venue, I couldn’t help but recognise the excitement I’ve felt many times playing live shows, especially in front of the people who mean the most to me. This headline show was a party for the PoolEra family, and I was lucky enough to get an outside look in.
There were people on shoulders and back-and-forths between the singer and the audience. As a guitar painted with a unique autumnal backdrop is brought out, the frontman yells: “How fucking cool is that?” It’s wholesome energy that I can’t look away from.
There’s enough toxic criticism in the music industry, sometimes we should concentrate on having fun.
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Photos: Courtney Turner