Live: The Gorgeous Chans

The Gorgeous Chans
 

It was always going to be an interesting night. Local heroes The Gorgeous Chans were headlining Rescue Rooms with a bunch of talented musicians and friends supporting the performance. I couldn't get through the door without bumping into someone I knew, proving how Nottingham's music scene is a friendly one, where everyone supports each other to do the best they can.

Alex 'Motormouf' Young introduced the night, using his quick humour and good nature to wake up the crowd. It might be early April, but the weather reminds us of hazy summer days, perfect for the glowing nature of the music that was performed that evening.

Josh Kemp entered the stage wielding a guitar and a smile; within the first two songs he had encouraged the sparse crowd to clap along to his cheerful tunes, using his charm to delight members of the audience. Fans of Josh would recognise songs from his latest EP Chatterbox - most people in the room featured in the music video for his single Stupid Cupid – but he treated us to a new track about the cliché story of falling in love with a stranger on public transport. Josh Kemp is more than heartbreaks and hangovers (but he captures both themes brilliantly.)

The room filled steadily as the sun began to set and it was soon time for The Breakfast Club to take to the stage. They began their set with Squeeze, a quick and quirky track that set the mood for the rest of their set. The Breakfast Club are a fun band and they're not shy of getting the crowd involved; their song about Nottingham's trams encouraged one admirer to join them on the stage. Free CDs were available to fifty of the most enthusiastic punters, with artwork designed by another of their fans.

Motormouf
 

The lead singer of Huskies struck a pose at every opportunity, clearly comfortable on the stage as he sneered at the audience. Their song Whatever Together is one that gets stuck in your head immediately, full of indie pop vibes and punk melodies. Our host Motormouf made a guest appearance during one of their songs, rapping along to its fun beat. The Gorgeous Chans could be seen along the front row of the crowd, dancing their hearts out as they enjoyed the music from all of their support acts.

The Gorgeous Chans received a hero's welcome when they finally graced the stage; Rescue Rooms was full of fans, friends, and family members, keen to see this six-piece perform well. The clapping began before we even heard the opening notes of Night in Graceland and the boys were enjoying the crowd's enthusiasm – even from the balcony we could see them laughing and smiling. Turn it Around swiftly followed, filling the room with warm summery vibes and luscious melodies.

If there's one thing The Gorgeous Chans do well, it's their ability to put everything you love about summer into their songs, every note makes you feel like you're sitting in the warm sunshine rather than a gig venue in April. Their music never fails to make you smile as you long for those sunny afternoons in the park. We barely left San Sebastian's shores before the beat kicked into a new song, guitars and saxophones providing the soundtrack to a night of friendship.

The encore wasn't planned, but the audience insisted the band return to the stage to perform one final song. In the panic, The Gorgeous Chans played their final song once more, switching the saxophone solo for a spontaneous verse from host Motormouf. The band looked as surprised as the audience when it went off without a hitch, and we witnessed enthusiastic punters attempting to crowd-surf during the final refrain.

The night felt more like a family reunion, albeit a reunion where everyone actually likes each other. It's a bizarre feeling when you go to a gig alone but meet people from all corners of your life in one room. It was humbling to know so many friends had come together to put on a great show.

The Gorgeous Chans played Rescue Rooms on Tuesday 7 April

The Gorgeous Chans website