Support from Happy2000

23/9/22

Support act: Happy2000
Laced with moody synths Happy2000 take to the stage - minus Paddy McCarthy, the frontman, who appears a short while later. Space-y at times the band could shatter Apollo 11 to pieces. Happy2000, great name by the way, slam their feet into breakbeat material at breakneck speed. Paddy comes with a hard-edge demeanour - a take no prisoners approach. His wanderings into the crowd came with rabid energy. Whipping up pits for fun in the process, like a tornado he pulls everything into his wake.

Mr. Korg - Lewis Clay - spins circles around the audience. Wrapping them up in swirls of out-there bliss. Bailey Berrill - the lead guitarist - brings manipulated and searing heat to the table. Sharp as a knife guitarwork slices through. They’re touching on a primal part of the psyche here, its a place where the best of the best wish to tap into - visceral and animalistic in nature.

The bassist - Ollie Cole - wore the right attire for the weather - an overcoat. He must be cooking in there. Partnered up with Billy Houghton on drums they provide a grimy and rugged backdrop. Fosters is the drink of choice for Happy2000 - keeping it classy and down under as always. The final song from H2K is ringed in with "this one goes out to Alan Shearer".

Happy2000 distill energy down into a 30-minute burst - if Mike Skinner was watching, he'd be a happy camper. Different goals and different aims, but certainly the same ethos - speaking from the heart straight to the streets. If these boys give less than what they've got, somethings gone wrong. They're here to stay, that's for sure. Place them as a firm reminder to always catch the opening act at a gig.

Courting set up as Happy 2000 sort out their gear. 📸

Courting
The Liverpool lads have been on the come up for quite a while now. Their first single, 'Not yr Man', was released in the Summer of 2019 and subsequent singles in 2020 - 'Football', 'David Byrnes Badside' and the infinitely catchy 'Popshop' - lead up to the eventual release of an extended play. 2021's 'Grand National' EP wet the lips of the listening leagues in anticipation for the 23rd of September, 2022 - the release day of their debut album 'Guitar Music' and also the date of their Newcastle gig at the Cluny 2. Call it a release day gig why don’t ya? Known for their sense of humor and lighthearted wit, which was sharpened for the show, Courting took to the stage. A wet Newcastle welcomed Courting. The weather doesn't take note of occasions, it does what it does - it can be heartless. It undoubtedly adds atmosphere to an event however, peoples moods seem to soar when safe and sound from gods wrath. In some cases, the wetter the better.

Courting kick-off their gig with back-to-back sport themed tracks 'Tennis' and 'Football'. "How are ya Newcastle?" The band break into Thin Lizzy's 'The Boys Are Back in Town' for a brief spell. "Its been 50/60 years since the boys were back in town". It would be the first of many covers and teasers across the night - including 'I Love It', 'Common People', 'Under Pressure', 'Starships', 'Can't Stop' and 'Sweet Child o Mine'. "Although its cliche", everyone gets low for Jumper. The rhythm section of Sean Thomas and Connor McCann stay as sharp and groovy as you'd wish while lead guitarist Josh Cope and lead singer Sean Murphy-O'Neill intertwine on guitar duties.

Courting pull Common People out of the bag. The crowd respond by singing Common People verbatim. It goes down a treat, with the audience willingly making it their responsibility to take the lead.

"This is a song off the next album, we've only played it 3 times. It's called 'Flex', please dance".

The crowds vocals are put to the test as Sean begins a call and response of sorts. Josh says "6/10" to the crowds efforts at replicating Seans auto-tuned Freddie Mercury-esque vocals.

Like all good bands they seem to be experimenting with material far ahead of schedule - new songs "Flex" and "America" make their way onto the setlist. Album 2 is in the works as Album 1 is rolled out. "By the way, this is off our second album. This is called 'America'".

'I know we talk quite a lot, I don’t want to get involved just yet. We can talk, its just roughly the same'

*disclaimer: I may have misinterpreted/misheard the lyrics!

The band meets their cowbell counterpart during Slow Burner as frontman Sean searches the crowd, cowbell in hand. You'll realize fairly quickly that everyone’s got their own sense of rhythm.

📸 Sean looks on as one participant shows him what he's got.

A question arises as 'Famous' is played - why wasn't it released as a single? It feeds into the fact that Guitar Music is packed with quality material. Famous with it's catchy 'My Mind, My Mind, My Mind, My Mind, My My My My My' is sure to become a staple of the bands setlist. Gig closer 'Loaded' begins with a concise message from Sean "In the meantime, open that pit". The people oblige, the pit opens up. "Hold on, hold on. Where the bass at? - there it is." Loaded begins again after the bass is lost and found.

A must-see show for anyone riding the new wave of burgeoning and ever-growing British talents. These guys definitely exist both inside and outside of said scene. Their unique approach to guitar music renders them hard to define.

Maybe the best band in the world? Certainly.