Live Review : Bad Touch + Bastette + Shape Of Water @ The Bread Shed, Manchester on February 11th 2022

The start of Bad Touch’s Better Late than Never tour has apparently been postponed some 5 times over the past 18 months or so, and tonight, it finally gets underway.  There’s an added bonus too with local band Shape of Water added to the bill opening the show.

To say the gig gets off with a bang is somewhat of an understatement- it’s more like an explosion when they kick the night off. Led by a twin Italian attack of vocalist/bassist Rox Capriotti and Luca De Falco on guitar, the sound Shape of Water produce can be best described as nothing short of HUGE. There’s a clever use of computer programming, guitar effects and altered tunings. With a synth strapped to his bass, Capriotti has an amazing almost feminine vocal range it is so high, yet crystal clear. They create dynamic and textured songs that fuse the best parts of alternative electric art rock in such a way that it leaves the watcher totally engrossed wondering what will come next. Drawing influences from the likes of Muse and Rasmus, it’s impossible not to be suitably impressed by their clever songs about human emotions and society. A haunting ‘Mr Sandman’ depicts brilliantly their ability to captivate the audience. Their album “Great Illusions” should be on your next Spotify search. An absolute monstrous performance.

Blackburn based 5 piece Bastette have been causing somewhat of a stir since their inception in early 2019. There’s something refreshingly different about these guys right from the start of opening track Lover. Featuring the amazing vocals of Caroline Eve Kenyon, she gives an incredibly confident performance way beyond her years, she completely owns that stage, and struts every inch of it throughout; frequently tossing back her mane of red hair, she oozes sex appeal and flirts with the willing crowd, commanding the attention of everyone watching.  It’s not just about her though, she has an excellent band behind her and they play extremely well crafted tunes with plenty going on. With some lovely guitar work from Sam Newiss and Eoin Kelly, it’s a set packed full of punchy modern alternative rock in the style of say Halestorm or Pretty Reckless. Tracks like ‘Primal’, ‘Hunter’ and ‘Sunglass’ are delivered like a deft blow from a hammer. Caroline is like a British Lizzy Hale and demonstrates her ability to work a crowd brilliantly when she gets everyone to light up their phones during the beautiful atmospheric ballad ‘Leather and Lace’. This is for certain one band that is a must see again. With killer tracks like ‘Fiction’ and ‘Rip Me to Shreds’ following, Bastette are a joy to watch and great things must surely come their way. Finishing with the crowd favourite ‘Rollercoaster’, it’s a fitting end to a blistering set.

Tonight’s the first night of the aforementioned tour and the enthusiastic crowd are suitably rewarded for their patience in awaiting the return of the Norfolk cowboys Bad Touch. Grabbing you by the throat and pinning you against the wall from the first bars of opener ‘Lift Your Head Up’, it was obvious the boys where glad to be back in the saddle again. It’s a blistering start to the set with ‘Good on Me’ (the jeans song), quickly following, before we get ‘Strut’, the first of six from their latest album- 2020’s “Kiss the Sky”.  We go back again to “Shake a Leg” for ‘Dressed to Kill’ before ‘Let Go’ punches you firmly in the chest.

Bad Touch are here on unfinished business. The Better Late than Never tour has been postponed some 5 times now as singer and frontman Stevie Westwood reminds us; and they’re making up for that by seriously ripping it up on stage with their breed of Norfolk bred rock and roll. It’s catchy, and you can’t help but stomp your feet and bop along. If you don’t know the words it doesn't take long to pick up the sing-along chorus’s from tunes like ‘Skyman’, ‘Heartbreaker Soulshaker’, and ‘Waste my Time’ that swiftly follow. Stevie cuts every inch the raconteur up on that stage - he’s wearing his rather colourful suit- (apparently hand stitched by 8 gypsies?!), topped with his signature hat. There’s nothing not to like about Bernard Matthews’s finest export. They play the kind of stuff The Black Crowes wish they’d recorded back in the day. Throw in some Blackberry Smoke, give it a stir, add a flavour of Humble Pie and The Faces, a swagger of The Stones, and, without a shadow of a doubt if these boys where from the good ‘ol US of A they’d be soo much bigger, but with 4 albums under their belt and gigs like this, it’s obvious they are working on it!  The band is tight, the twin guitar attack of Rob Glendinning and Daniel Seekings work beautifully together, feeding off each other’s tones and styles perfectly. Solid drumming from George Drewry and fluid bass lines from Michael Bailey stitch it all together nicely.

We’re far from finished yet. ‘I Get High’ and ‘Can You Save Me’ before a cracking cover of Alanis Morissette’s ‘Hand in My Pocket’, which, according to Mr. Westwood, they made ‘a good song sound shit’. Of course they didn’t and like Edwin Starr’s ‘25 miles’ earlier, it was actually rather bloody good! A rousing ‘Come a Little Closer’ ensures that plenty of dad dancing continues before a sultry ‘Outlaw’ then the infamous old Planet Rock fav ‘99%’ brings the evening to a standing ovation.

The cold wind blows us back up Oxford Road with more than a jig and a shuffle left in them legs, and with those infectious catchy lyrics rattling around  in your head, you’ll definitely remember this gig for a while I’m certain. Bootiful!