LIVE: Palma Violets and Childhood

Childhood at the Rescue Rooms earlier in the year

Childhood drenched the Bodega with effortless indie pop reminiscent of hazy summer holidays somewhere hot. The crowd was pretty lively for a Monday night, and the band stepped it up, sounding punchier than on record with a slightly heavier bassline.

Ben’s vocal reverberated through rippling guitar melodies on energetic tracks like Haltija while the drum kept up the pace to heighten its live appeal. On Mount Chiliad it got a whole lot dreamier: a sugar-sweet guitar riff tracing the echoing vocal played to a swaying room.

But the serenity couldn’t be kept up for long as Childhood continued to respond to the growing energy in the room, playing one great track after another and appearing completely at ease on the stage. It’s clear that these are talented guys with a defined, multi-layered sound.

Palma Violets getting up close and personal with their fans at The Bodega

Palma Violets couldn’t be any more confident. After their well-received performance alongside Savages a couple of months ago, the room was packed with those who had obviously come back for more.

The band’s songs were a little bit punky, a little bit garage, teasing the crowd by appearing to be drawing to an untidy end before attacking with a final punch of sheer ostentatious energy. The tribal drum beat and church organ-like keyboard on Happy Endings was overlaid with Sam’s resonating vocal, slow until chorus line “You make me feel like I’m the only one” accompanied by a burst of thrashing guitar and a lot of jumping onstage.

The crowd sang along enthusiastically to Tom the Drum and Best of Friends, in which Sam and Chilli’s vocals worked in tandem, punctuated occasionally by chiming keyboard. Penultimate track Fourteen appeared to be a well-recognised live favourite, as bassist Chilli took a very long crowd-surf around the room while “Oh fourteen, oh fourteen, take me home” was chanted back and forth passionately from the crowd to the stage. ‘Brand New Song’ ended the night comparatively quietly, unrehearsed and with a heavy dose of the boys’ roguish charm.

Meanwhile, the crowd was revelling in the aftermath of a sweaty night spent dancing. Childhood, who study in Nottingham, will inevitably widen their fanbase from supporting this tour, and as for Palma Violets – I’m sure they’ll be welcomed back to Nottingham with open arms!

Palma Violets and Childhood played The Bodega on Monday 1 October 2012.

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