Live Review : Temple Balls + Straight For The Sun + Seas Of Neptune @ Zanzibar, Liverpool on November 2nd 2024

Tonight we are not in a cellar, which is good. Zanzibar is a decent venue with plenty of space and a good screen so that’s a good start.

Local band Seas Of Neptune kick things off. They play cheerful slightly indie-tinged rock interspersed with a bit of typical dry scouse wit. It’s not outright metal, leaning more towards maybe The Killers or even Arctic Monkeys for inspiration, but it’s hummable and well-performed. At the moment the band are a little raw and unpolished, but with a bit of elbow grease they might turn out to be a gem.

Straight For The Sun are from Birmingham, which means they have accents nearly as incomprehensible as Finnish headliners Temple Balls! They are heavier than expected, in a Myles Kennedy (Alter Bridge) kind of way. The music is melodic but with a punch, and the vocals are superb. Various band members leave the stage to play in the crowd during their set, and they have bags of energy and vim. There were no standout songs but the whole thing gelled together splendidly and made for a very enjoyable experience. With a nod to nu-metal and just a hint of grunge they are well worth a watch.

Headliners Temple Balls are, as already mentioned, from Finland. They released a stonking album “Avalanche” just over a year ago and this is their first UK visit so there is much excitement and anticipation in the small but enthusiastic crowd. Technically their music puts them firmly in the glam/sleaze camp but visually they are not in the least bit glamorous. Despite their fairly ordinary appearance they do, however, take to the stage like they own it.

The lack of fluttery scarves or ball-crushingly tight pants does not take away from a scorching performance. Instead thay let the music do the talking, slamming out chirpy choruses, big riffs and memorable melodies like they were born to it. They are engaging and on point, playing to 20 people just like they are in front of 20000. The setlist draws heavily from “Avalanche”, with standout track Strike ‘Like A Cobra’ getting toes and fingers tapping and heads nodding. Every song was note perfect, every move rehearsed, but despite a polished performance they still maintained an endearing rawness and energy that kept things flowing along nicely.

I don’t know what they put in the water in Finland, maybe it’s the long dark winters, but it seems that every band in every genre strives to be at the top of the game and for melodic rock with a hard edge Temple Balls are dancing nicely on that precipice.