Gig: October Drift @ Scala, London
October Drift by Anne Pfalzgraf
Having just released their latest highly anticipated studio album Blame The Young, October Drift hit the road for a run of UK shows to celebrate the release, ending the tour with a bang at the Scala in London on 5 November. Rounding up the lineup, they brought along the dreamy indie-infused duo Junodef and 90’s inspired nostalgic indie rock band Carpark, delivering an evening filled with haunting melodies, dark dreamscapes and electrifying guitar riffs.
Junodef
Opening the stage, Junodef set the tone for the evening with their genre-defying shoegaze and new wave influenced sound wrapping the audience in a blanket of dark, melancholic soundscapes. People were still coming in during the set, but it didn’t take long for everyone to be enchanted by the dreamy, dark, melancholic atmosphere they created, to sway and nod their heads along. Even though their set was short and sweet they created a cozy and homely vibe which set the mood for what was yet to come.
Carpark
Ireland-rooted Carpark took to the stage next and brought a more raw indie rock edge to the evening. Their sound, a mix of dreamy guitar melodies, catchy riffs and mellow vocals – reminiscent of the soundtracks of countless films of the 90’s, pushed the energy even higher. Their emotionally charged lyrics, paired with the simplicity of the sound quickly resonated with the lively crowd and saw them swaying and dancing along.
October Drift
The anticipation was palpable by the time the lights dimmed for the final time before October Drift entered with a dramatic flair in synchronicity with the flashing stage lights and jumped right into the anthemic ‘Demons’. There was an instant spike in energy that swept the crowd off their feet and saw the floor erupt into dancing and jumping. It didn’t take long for vocalist and guitarist Kiran Roy to jump off the stage and join the crowd with his mic stand and guitar, followed by guitarist Dan Young and drummer Chris Holmes later in the set who also jumped in the crowd to crowd surf an perform surrounded by the audience. Even the roof of the sound booth functioned as temporary stage replacement for Kiran at some point in the set. They raced through their setlist keeping the crowd on their toes and hyping them up as the evening progresses with their distinctive blend of crunchy guitar riffs, raw vocals and nostalgic melodies. They treated the audience to an emotional finale, sending them off with an acoustic rendition of ‘Like the Snow We Fall’ with only Kiran and Chris standing in the middle of the room surrounded by the crowd. The final notes left the audience exhilarated and joyful, eagerly awaiting the next chapter in October Drift’s journey.
