Review: Peace return to Birmingham for intimate Sunflower Lounge show

• On Monday 9^th April, Peace graced the intimate Sunflower Lounge for a homecoming gig, in association with Jack Daniels and the Music Venue Trust
• The night began with local indie duo Cut Glass Kings who blessed the room with an addictive, powerful sound
• The city centre venue welcomed Peace back with open arms, ready for a mix of nostalgia and a taste of what is in the pipeline

The audience did not have too long to wait until the headline act but Cut Glass Kings brought a new and more impressive definition to the term ‘support act’. The Stourbridge duo confidently owned the room with their professional aura and flawless set.

Cut Glass Kings

Paul Cross and Greg McMurray filled the room with riffs and large sounds in a way that reminds first-time listeners of the sound and presence of Royal Blood and Slaves. The male two-piece threw everything they had into their performance of singles ‘Here Comes The Light’ and ‘Drifter’, out of breath and with sweat dripping from the musical workout.

Their anthemic tracks defined the choice for Peace’s support act that night but it was clear, as the band bid the room farewell, larger venues are destined for Cut Glass Kings. It was then that the final wait for Peace began.

Peace

“They say you will only play The Sunflower Lounge twice in your career; once on your way up and once on your way down. This is our third time playing here. Let’s go.” These were the words frontman, Harry Koisser, greeted fans with on Monday night after a two-year hiatus.

The Midlands quartet moved their way through the crowd, from the back of the room to the tiny stage to dominate the venue they grew too big for five years prior. The night began with a taste of new album Kindness Is The New Rock And Roll with single ‘Power’ and the crowd did not need a single moment to warm up.

The excitement to hear old favourites took over the room entirely and it wasn’t long before the night oozed nostalgia. As well as re-visiting Birmingham, the indie band re-visited old classics from In Love which shot them on their meteoric rise.

‘Lovesick’, ‘Wraith’ and ‘Money’ proved favourites of the night as moshpits became the inevitable with one fan even leaning over the barrier to say to Koisser “we’re going to start a moshpit” to a reply that made the room descend into madness: “That’s my boy right there.”

Peace

‘California Daze’ created a different type of vibe that transported every fan out of rainy Birmingham. Every hand was in the air and every single person screamed the lyrics to the track that reminds everybody why they love Peace, along with the infamous ‘1998’. The song that the group avoided performing live for quite some time never fails to get the whole room shaking where every fan stands with nothing but awe for the sheer energy the band hold.

With members of upcoming Brummie bands including Sugarthief crowdsurfing throughout the night, the importance of Peace and their impact on inspiring the local scene came to light. Only the lucky ones who managed to bag a ticket were there to witness the band’s comeback that is bound to be deemed iconic.

Peace

Koisser blessed the stage with energy and sheer passion with every stomp on the floor, flick of the hair and harmonic scream into the microphone. His pinstriped trousers and red blazer with ‘You Don’t Walk Away From Love’ embroidered on the back made his image unforgettable.

The B-town scene torch-bearers have returned to the city at a time where the local musicians are on the rise: showcasing the energy and power that a band can hold after controlling the electric room from the first note.

Peace

After playing on the biggest stages, including Glastonbury, Reading and Leeds, returning to the small venue in Birmingham where it all started really took the foursome back to their roots.

This is the start of another exciting era for Peace, and with tickets for this show selling out in seconds, everyone needs to fight their way to the front of the queue.

Photographs by Radek Kubiszyn

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