I became a fan of Millie Manders and the Shut Up after seeing them at this same venue, Fulford Arms almost exactly two years ago, so I wasn’t going to miss another opportunity to see this great band. Did they deliver? Well you will just have to read on to find that out, because I need to tell you about the support band, Jøra The Førtuneteller. This hugely talented four-piece are based in Brighton (or possibly Norwich) and to get themselves on the road they sold loads of their stuff, including their Playstations, to buy a van to tour with. In my opinion that sacrifice and investment was well worth it for Sam, Gui, Dawid, and Josh. They have only been together for three years but it feels like they have been a band much longer. I sense the histrionics of Muse, the grandeur of Pink Floyd, and the punk attitude of the Clash. Sam’s vocals are world-class and reminiscent of the best of Steve Marriot and Kurt Cobain and Gui’s guitar skills are easily advanced enough that he could battle Matt Bellamy in a guitar duel and come out on top. It was also great to see Millie Manders showing her support at the front of the stage too. I am so looking forward to hearing more from Jøra The Førtuneteller and definitely seeing them play live again.
Regular readers will have seen Millie Manders and the Shut Up on these pages before. I had the honour of interviewing Millie back in January too, click here to listen to it. Millie is one of the most passionate performers in music right now. She is not just passionate about the music though, she is also supremely passionate about life, injustice, mental health, the environment, and many other things. All of this is encapsulated in an absolutely stunning performance from her and the Shut Up. Every tune was full of electrifying energy and there wasn’t a duff song or note in the whole set, the band and Millie were firing perfectly on all cylinders. Some people choose to badge Millie Manders and the Shut Up as ska-punk, but they are so much more than that. Highlights for me were “Poor Man’s Show” which is even more pertinent in the post-Covid world where the UK government is ripping the guts out of our fabulous National Health Service. Then “Not Okay” is a heart on the sleeve clarion call to every one of you who is suffering from depression, anxiety, and any other form of mental health issue. It really is ok to be not ok! But the pinnacle of the night for me was the astonishing, powered, anger and feeling in a mountainous performance of “Panic”. There are still a few dates left on this tour and if you can get to any of them, damned well do it! You will not be sorry!
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