Talent oozing from the first to the last made Kid Kapichi’s show at Oporto one to remember. And with a host of prime support acts and Where Fires Are topping off the menu, this musical feast didn’t disappoint.
If every Wednesday night was as good as this, most people wouldn’t turn up to work on a Thursday.
Brander fans or not, anyone who has caught his vocals widely consider him to have one of the best voices in the game. Needless to say, he sets the bar high for an opening act at any gig. His acoustic cover of The White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army” was a definite crowd pleaser. Unfortunately the downside was the lack of original songs. Rest assured, once he has his own back-catalogue to choose from, it will only be a matter before this singer/songwriter comes to fruition.
Late Night Legacy were next to take to the stage. Bringing forth a soul-filled set with plenty of energy, the band have really started to make a name for themselves over the last couple of years. And it’s easy to see why. Mastering the art of crowd involvement, these guys look at home on stage. Frontman Ryan Kitto’s soaring voice shines through on every song, proving that this enigmatic foursome is onto something great. Consisting of more than just great lead vocals, the band consecutively churn out powerful riffs and excellent beats. Come the end of their set, not an inch of stage was left untrodden.
When the time came for Kid Kapichi to take to the stage (Jack Wilson-Guitar/Vocals, Ben Beetham-Guitar/Vocals, Eddie Lewis-Bass, George Macdonald-Drums) the venue was completely full. It was a round-trip from Hastings for the one-off show, with these chaps showing serious commitment to the launch of their forthcoming EP (Due out 30th September).
Citing acts including Queens of the Stone Age, The Libertines, Amazing Snakeheads and Turbowolf, the band’s influences are diverse. As Beetham pointed out,“the influences mainly come from the atmosphere and energy these acts create more than necessarily musically”.
“The influences mainly come from the atmosphere and energy these acts create more than necessarily musically” – Guitarist, Ben Beetham
It all becomes abundantly clear when the band take to the stage, with powerful, heavy riffs. The vocals were clear and the instrumentals precise. The set was diverse, consisting of current material and a couple of new tracks which are set to appear on their forthcoming self-titled EP. The crowd were clearly impressed with the overall quality thundering from the stage as they slashed through songs.
“Lion Tamer”, a song so well written and performed it’s hard not to love it, became a favourite, showing how unique the Kid Kapichi‘s sound has truly become. Yet another band banging on the gates to Valhalla, let’s just hope they don’t get overlooked like so many rock ‘n’ roll bands today.
The night’s headline act, Where Fires Are, needed no introduction. Having become a seemingly underground favourite, these lads deserve a far bigger spotlight than they currently have. Harbouring an awesome vocal range, lead singer Robbie Gillespie impresses; James Clegg was commanding on the bass, setting the rhythm throughout and linking well with drummer Matt Exton and Nick Banks on keys.
They’ve crafted a hauntingly beautiful sound with some amazing riffs – especially on “Kill My Mind” courtesy of the one and only Ash Reynolds. It’s great to see a group smash out stadium-worthy, singalong anthems in such an intimate venue. And with a crowd that were singing along to their favourite tracks, it was surely a sign that these lads have what it takes to take on the world.
