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serenajemmett
28th June 2022

Sterling Press return to London with a bang

Sterling Press return home to London with an unforgettable night at the Sebright Arms! Deputy Music Editor Serena Jemmett reviews their highly anticipated gig.
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Sterling Press return to London with a bang
Photo: Marlon of Sterling Press – Anne Maningas @version3point1

Returning to London for the first time since July 2021’s hometown gig, this was not a night to miss for anyone familiar with Sterling Press – and they certainly lived up to the anticipation.

The now Liverpool-based band played a sold-out show at The Grace in July last year, and, after a cancelled Oslo show in January, they finally announced their return with a trip to East London’s Sebright Arms. Following a slew of northern supports, their first headline show since the Very Fun Times Tour in October had fans extremely excited, with a noticeable buzz around the venue before they kicked off.

The gig opened with newcomers Mint, who warmed the crowd up with a fantastically rowdy display, setting the mood for the rest of the night – definitely ones to watch.

Once they finished, the excitement for what was to come was immediately evident, and as the packed bar filtered down to the venue, it all kicked off.

Opening with the punky, ‘Las Vegas’, an unreleased track, the boys set the tone for the rest of their set. The sample heavy tune combined driving guitars, powerful vocals, and witty lyricism to make for the perfect set opener. They followed with ‘Daisy’, another high energy track to keep the tempo up, leading to a mixture of moshing and dancing, with everyone clearly loving what they were hearing.

Photo: Ed Higgins – Anne Maningas @version3point1

Then followed another of the tunes they released last year, the ska-infused ‘Lots of Noise’, the only song in the set sung by guitarist Ed Higgins. Changing the pace slightly, but maintaining the energy, this crowd pleaser showcased a somewhat different side to the band, but a very welcome one.

Not ones to overdo it too soon, Sterling Press slowed us down slightly, showcasing another unreleased tune, ‘Sorry Love.’ Another slower unnamed track followed, in which lead singer Marlon Reynier puts down his bass in favour of the freedom of the stage; adding a incredible bit of crowd participation halfway through, before breaking into the anthemic ‘Nothing at All’, which has been a main-stayer of the headline set from the very beginning.

Photo: Marlon & Crowd – Anne Maningas @version3point1

As we reach the back end of their set, we’re treated to their upcoming single, ‘What Would You Do?’, which promises to be an outstanding return for the band. Laced with some fitting samples, punchy vocals and huge guitar parts, the track showcases everything the band do so well; without a doubt a highlight of the evening! ‘Confetti’ came as the “official” penultimate track in the set, and it certainly satisfied the moshing section of the crowd, causing anarchy for a couple of minutes, before we arrived at the anthemic ‘Plastic Bag’ (released in October of last year). A powerhouse tune, a crowd favourite, and a fitting way to end their evening in East London.

As it ended, the chants of “one more song” were a fitting testament to the fantastic performance and night.

It wouldn’t have been a Sterling Press show without their debut single, the brilliant Britpop number that forever goes down well. Having taken a moment or two off stage following ‘Plastic Bag’, the boys returned for one last closing singalong, greeted with an ecstatic ovation, they performed ‘Very Fun Times’, ending a superb night with a bang.

If you still haven’t gone to a Sterling Press gig… make it your number 1 priority! The boys are set to blow up over the next year and with a big few months ahead, including the release of ‘What Would You Do?’ and a few more of the unreleased great tunes that were teased, you must keep an eye out for their movements.

You can find Sterling Press on Instagram, Twitter and Tiktok.

And you can listen back to the boys chatting on my radio show Sez Says here:

Serena Jemmett

Serena Jemmett

Serena is a national shortlisted Arts and Culture writer (SPA2022) with key interests in music, women’s rights, accessibility and politic’s influence in culture.With a passion to make social issues more accessible and digestible for the wider public, Serena’s broadcast talk show (Sez Says) on Fuse FM discusses a variety of topics from political matters, to fashion, to interviews with musicians. Check it out on instagram: @sezsays_radio; You can contact Serena on twitter @serenajemmett or instagram @serenaj69

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