Leicester’s Musician Pub is a hidden gem, nestled away in the back streets of the city and offering a remarkable array of artists, predominantly from the blues and classic rock end of the spectrum. With a decent bar, that stocks a small range of ales, friendly staff and typically good sound, it’s one of those venues that has a loyal following all of its own, and it’s well worth a visit, whether you’re local to Leicester, or on a visit. Tonight, the venue is heaving early, thanks to the arrival of two fantastic acts. Opening the night, we have the fast-rising Empyre (although, judging by the number of band Ts in the audience, they won’t be playing support for long), while to headline, we have Canadian classic rockers The Damn Truth, touring their epic Now or Nowhere album. It’s a hell of a line up and The musician is all but bursting at the seems in anticipation.
Hailing from Northampton, opening act Empyre have accrued a fiercely loyal following, and the venue is packed with fans eager to hear them airing tracks from their Kscope debut, Relentless. The audience’s faith is not misplaced, for the band (self-effacing humour notwithstanding) put on a powerful performance, only slightly let down by a muddy sound that all too frequently buries the guitars in the mix. Nevertheless, the rapturous reception the band receive for their short set is deserved, and they deliver an impressively diverse range of songs.
Opening with an emotionally charged number that sits somewhere on a continuum between latter-day Anathema and the elegiac misery of 40 Watt sun, the band set a high bar for what is to follow, and it’s cool to see the band engaging with the material -with bassist Grant a dynamo, his long hair flying throughout. Next up, the woozy Hit and Run nicely slows the pace, the loping rhythm allowing plenty of space for Henrik’s vocals on a track that shows the extent of the band’s influences.
Building their set nicely, Empyre bring things to a thrilling conclusion with Relentless, an aptly titled track that showcases the band at the heaviest. With Henrik employing an ever-grittier vocal tone, and impressive drummer Elliot pounding his kit into submission, Relentless offers an absolutely searing riff, while the final track, drawn from debut album Self Aware, has a Pearl Jam vibe that gets the audience clapping and singing along.
A short, sharp set, it’s a deeply impressive showing from an ambitious band who clearly have their sights set on bigger things. It’s heartening indeed to see a relatively new act receive such a response and, on the strength of tonight’s performance, they are certainly adding to the ranks of the dedicated every time they take the stage.
Our first experience of The Damn Truth was when their highly rated third album, Now or Nowhere, landed. An epic statement of intent, the album was packed with hard-hitting anthems while, in Lee-La, the band have a singer of genuine power – more than capable of delivering an epic rock wail, but equally at home on more intimate tracks. Harking back to the golden era of rock, and dressed for the part, to say that they The Damn Truth don’t disappoint is something of an understatement.
Taking to the stage to the strains of Jefferson Airplane’s psychedelic hymn, White Rabbit (a band with whom The Damn Truth share more than a few strands of DNA), Lee-La is singing along before the band have even strapped on their instruments, such is her effervescent enthusiasm. Having grabbed our attention, the band launch into the strident This is Who We Are Now, causing the venue to collectively rock back at the force of it all. As perfect a show opener as it is an album opener, This is Who We Are Now is a wonderfully arranged beast of a track that somehow encapsulates the band’s entire appeal in just four short minutes.
What follows is a masterclass in classic rock, with the band throwing shapes as Lee-La belts out the vocals. Over the course of the night, we get the hard-driven riff of Full on You, complete with slide accents and Joplin soul; the patchouli-scented stomp of Too Late, which sounds like Yeah Yeah Yeahs jamming on Led Zeppelin, and the monstrous Look innocent, which has a chorus to die for.
However, for every arena-sized rocker, there’s a curveball waiting in the wings, and breaking up the hulking riffs there’s the hard blues of Lonely, which strips things back to allow Lee-La’s voice the space to shine ever brighter. A cracking album track, the band expand it here, ringing the most out of its bone-dry intro, and getting the audience singing from front to back. There’s also Only Love, a breezy pop number that sits somewhere between Carley Simon and Fleetwood Mac in terms of inspiration, and you can feel the venue loosen up as its sun-kissed grooves land.
It’s a remarkable set, engaging and dynamic, taking in classic rock attitude, but with enough modern nous to keep things interesting, and it keeps the audience absolutely hooked throughout. While Lee-La surely demands attention, she doesn’t hog the limelight, and the whole band have opportunities to shine. Whether it’s guitarist Tom Shemer suddenly taking a walk on the wild side during Look Innocent, heading right through the crowd to the rear of the venue, bassist PY Letellier bouncing as if the stage is on fire, or Dave Trainer tearing through a drum solo at the end of Only Love, each member has their moment in the spotlight, and it’s that spirit that keeps the band firing on cylinders throughout the performance.
Leicester’s Musician is a fantastic venue, but without any disrespect intended, both Empyre and The Damn Truth are destined for bigger stages, and the audience were privileged to catch them in so intimate a space.
