Words by Jacob Parrott
As an opening act, Loupe managed to instantly bring a level of energy with their vibrant guitar riffs, punchy drums and soothing vocals.
The crowd was of a majority of younger people, many wearing Lovejoy merch (the headline band) and a few adorning party hats for some reason. They were all huddled around the stage, with people running from one place to the next as they tried to secure the best spot in the crowd. Everyone seemed really excited for the acts to come, which generated a great buzz within the venue, as people were still piling in through the doors.
As Loupe started, they were met with a nice wave of cheers. From the first few notes of the opening track ‘So Far So Good’, Loupe’s distinctive pretty instrumentals flooded the room, with its vibrant guitar notes and effortlessly melodic vocal lines.
By the second track ‘It’s Getting Wild, Getting Older’ the crowd was completely won over with a massive cheer as the second chorus kicked into gear, with a rose being thrown onstage as a sign of appreciation. The track’s tight drums and melodic guitar riffs boast a much richer sound than the recorded version of the track, which originally carries a more subtle tone overall.
‘Too Soon’ was a highlight of the gig, which received big cheers from the crowd, as they clapped along to the faster paced track, as well as ‘Lonely Dance’ which utilised its funk laden bass to full effect to really get the crowd moving along with the lead singer, who gave off a great energy as she danced along to each track, whilst delivering flawless and enchanting vocals.
Before the last track, the lead singer announced that they are set to return to London next year for a tour, which was met with a lot of enthusiasm from the crowd.
I didn’t catch the name of the closing track, but what started out as vibrant and pretty instrumentation, slowly grew in magnitude throughout, featuring big, punchy drums, uptempo bass, fiery guitar riffs and synth sections, to create the perfect dramatic finish leaving the crowd wanting more.
Loupe took their bow to a sea of cheers from the crowd, gaining plenty of new fans with their glittery melodies and laid back groove. Delivering elevated renditions of their studio tracks, the band have cemented themselves as ones to closely watch.