Syteria/Loz Campbell/Voodoo Radio -
Corporation, Sheffield Friday 27th May 2022
I know I am starting to sound like a stuck record but this is yet another show that I had been really looking forward to since it was announced by the headliners Manager, Andy Turner and it also appeared on the venues website too of course. A three band bill that all had a female lead singer – now that makes a pleasant change.
Set List: Eat Your Words/Pretty Boy/Basic Bitch /One From Two/Slag Bank/Dog/She’s So Toxic/Space Girl/ Turn Out The Light.
First up are a Cumbrian, Dad and Daughter Duo called Voodoo Radio made up of Tony on Guitar and Paige on Lead Vocals/Percussion who have a quirky, left of centre style. Imagine Royal Blood on its head meets The White Stripes turned inside out and you may be getting towards where they are at with a touch of Blondie added to the vibe too.
They grab us immediately with their no-nonsense approach of new wave punked up attitude that the likes of John Peel would have dearly loved since its not the usual mainstream stuff that many fondly listen too but has an aggressive almost avant guard primal, raw, dare I say screaming banshee approach to it that you cannot really pigeon-hole or fully define.
Paige has got one hell of a powerful voice that makes you take note whether you have a desire to or not with no slowies in sight. She pulverises that percussion so powerfully that I am surprised the snare drum isn't flying a surrender flag a few songs in.
Highlights include the one about what her brother used to call her that goes by the name of 'Basic Bitch'; the Rock 'N' Rollish 'Pretty Boy'; the one with the wacked out wailings in the middle of it, whatever it was called and closer 'Turn Out The Light' where Tony at times put me in mind of a famous AC/DC song now and again. To say that they made a major musical and visual impact would be an understatement to say the least.
Set list: Evil/Back Biting The Bullet/Coffee Cup/Bad Girl/Beautiful Liar/What Are You Doing It For?/Generic Girl/The World Was Made To Destroy You.
Wakefield Lass, Loz Campbell is in the middle of the bill along with her band members Steve Pickles on Bass) and Tom Kirby taking care of the drums. She is slick and sexy up there and a pretty good guitarist too who play a kind of alternative rock that leans more towards the likes of Smashing Pumpkins, Hole and Pearl Jam than what her image and look dictates.
Although it wasn't really doing much for me as I prefer my Rock a bit more up-tempo and positive, she went down well with many of the people in here. A few sound issues ensued since it was hard to make out the vocals in the overall mix since they seemed to be buried a bit.
Standouts in her set though included 'Beautiful Liar', 'Generic Girl' and last number ' The World Was Made To Destroy You'. I found much of the songs on a similar level, making it hard to decipher one number from another. A bit more pronunciation with the banter to the audience in-between songs would be beneficial to her act since her voice was fast, quiet and a bit mumbling to grasp what she was trying to get over to us.
Drummer, Tom was full of smiles and having a great time regardless all the way through which was a fun thing to see with Steve being a real godsend of a bassist too. Give it time and a bit of polishing and this could be something great since there is an audience for all styles of music regardless of taste.
Set List: Guilty/Sheeple/Revolution/Reflection/ Gossips/Plastic Fantastic/I'm All Woman/Monsters/Raise Your Glass/It Hit Me/Make Some Noise.
Encore: New World Order/Halloween.
Headliners, Syteria should have been a marvellous send-off to the night but unfortunately their set seemed to be plagued with an array of sound problems that were both vocally and instrumentally.
They are made up of Sister and Brother, Julia Vocal (Lead Vocals/Guitar), Pablo Calvo (Drums), Jackie Chambers (Lead Guitar) and Steph Dawson (Bass) who are doing a string of dates up and down the country to support their latest album 'Reflection' reviewed elsewhere in Metalliville.
The band being the professionals they are soldiered through but I got the gut feeling they were not happy and put a brave face on with all smiles from them regardless while they knocked out songs to us from their two albums (the 1st one being 'Rant_O-Bot' of course) much to folks delight which went down extremely well.
Their newer, bassist Steph is a major asset to the band and fits in so well with the rest of the gang though she's been there a few years now. They shared great acapella harmonies in one number – just a pity about the feedback, not to mention a cracking drum solo coming from Pablo or the funny bit where Julia and Jax were wearing Phil Elsey's hat much to his amusement and likings.
Highlights included the drum thramming 'Guilty' which opened the proceedings as lively as possible; the scary and realistic 'Reflection'; the tell it how it is 'I'm All Woman'; the thumping poptastic 'It Hit Me'; the brilliant bringing everyone togetherness of 'Make Some Noise' or the humourous 'Halloween' from the encore part of the show.
I look forward to seeing Syteria again some time in the not too distant future and album number three also!
By Glenn Milligan