Tracer / Federal Charm Talking Heads Southampton 26-03-16

TRACER | Federal Charm | Everyday Circus


First visit to the new Talking Heads and a vast improvement in terms of all concerns with great stage.sound and lighting too.

First up was very young German 4 piece Everyday Circus who played a 6 song set of energetic modern rock.I will be honest and say it will be good to see them in a few years time when it terms of development they will have improved with their stage craft.

No such issues with Federal Charm who fresh from their tour with Joanne Shaw Taylor played a set that relied heavily on last year's excellent second album Across The Divide.

Led by vocalist and guitarist Nick Bowden and lead guitarist Paul Bowe they went down a storm with the expanding crowd.Rhythm team LD Morawski on bass and Danny Rigg on drums laid down the base and with the excellent sound good to hear some fabulous bass lines amongst their classic rock feel.


Songs of the quality of opener Masterplan,single Guess What,the catchy Silhouette,God Forsaken and first single Hercules all from the new cd came across superbly in the live setting.

Bowden's rich vocal tones shone through and both he and Bowe trade guitar solo's with Bowe playing the lengthier parts and some superbly melodic outro parts that showed his qualities off superbly.

Ending the show with their debut album's Gotta Give It Up ended another fine display and a huge crowd response.

After the show the band confirmed a headlining tour of the UK is in the planning and I urge you to go and see one of the UK's best upcoming bands.


























 Tracer were on the last date of a 5 week European tour and were ready to party and with this being their second UK leg of the Water For Thirsty Dogs tour plenty of the crowd knew what to expect and for 90 minutes no one was left disappointed as the band ripped Southampton a new one.

Here is the setlist



Tracer make a right old racket for a 3 piece with Andre Wise on drums a skin pounder of the highest quality and his rhythm team partner Jett on bass is ever moving and again with the superb sound great to hear a bass player's lines.

Front man vocalist and guitarist Michael Brown is a great band leader.His vocal range and guitar riffing are top drawer and his soloing with it's melodic tones evident are superb and when he really goes for it he is up there with the best.

New album Us Against the World with its hey hey hey chorus gives the crowd a chance of an early bit of participation which they eat up heartily and the big grin on Michael's face shows how much he loved the reaction.

The band have elements of stoner rock but with a classic rock underbelly meaning the tune may have plenty of riffing and groove but always possesses a big chorus.

The Machine had a short sharp drum solo from Andre which didn't over stay it's welcome which is always good.

Homeward Bound from the new cd had a mass sing along on the chorus and back in the day with a big video would have been a hit.

Devil Ride took us back to the first cd and the crowd went nuts to it's big riff and even bigger chorus with the crowd split into two for an audience sing along and I think my side won!!

Water For Thirsty Dogs was a popular set closer with its huge riff and groove and with the chorus being sang back by the crowd and with that they were gone.

Voice In The Rain from the debut cd was played for the guys at the front that had been to multiple shows and was excellent before a romp through new album stomper and first single Astronaut Juggernaut ended a show of epic proportions that deserved to be played in much larger venue.

Tracer are a fantastic live act and you need to see them when they are in the UK next time around.






































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