It was one of those line-ups you kind of just knew was going to be iconic in the future, like Patti Smith playing alongside members of Talking Heads, Television, and The Velvet Underground or, more relevant for the bands tonight, pre-COVID Windmill sets featuring Black Country, New Road and Black Midi on the same bill. Headlining were Mary in the Junkyard, the latest band to rise out of the crowded yet endlessly inventive London underground. They were supported by Westside Cowboy, the potential next-big-thing coming out of Manchester, who have a single produced by a member of Mercury Price-winning band English Teacher and are playing two sold-out nights at Gulliver’s in March. The venue – YES Pink Room – has been a common setting for bands on the up to make Manchester appearances in the past few years, with Black Country, New Road (who have risen to the level of selling out Albert Hall for multiple nights) The Murder Capital, IDLES, and Shame all having played gigs there. It was packed before the supports even started, a sign of the excitement for both bands (and opportunism, given YES are offering £1 off all pints during support acts).
Mary in the Junkyard came across as a band very much on the up, a leading figure in the next generation of bands rising out of the underground. In the past year, they’ve been featured on the cover of NME, been included in DIY’s class of 2025 and released their first EP this old house, a unique blend of ethereal indie with a gothic edge and some of the unorthodox chord progressions that have come to define music in the capital over the past decade. It’s clear, though, that they’re not satisfied. Over half of their set was new songs, with them announcing that they’ve been writing their debut album. Lead singer Clari Freedman-Taylor joked that they’d nearly forgotten all the old ones. These broadened their sound, with Freedman-Taylor playing no fewer than four instruments over the course of the set – two guitars, a cello and an accordion – while bassist Saya Barbaglia spent about half her time playing a viola and a short period using a synth. This has allowed them to push the limits of what a 3-piece (completed by drummer David Addison) can do, with songs varying from rock to folk to indie, each one unique and demonstrating a commitment to experimentation. For a couple of songs, bass and guitar were ditched entirely.
The other completely original element of their sound is their song-writing, with songs like ‘goop’ or ‘teeth’ contrasting unsettling lyrics with the more mellow tone of the song; the former opens with the line “flies trapped in goop over eyes, pull them out of there quickly before they die”. This originality is no less evident in their new work, with Freedman-Taylor describing one song about the love of her life being a man who was previously a mouse she had owned in a past life as a fisherman. Despite the outward absurdity, this song-writing as well as its incredible delivery carries genuine emotion. For example, ‘ghost’ uses their typically idiosyncratic style to powerfully convey unrequited love.
Meanwhile, Westside Cowboy justified their own hype as one of the best up-and-coming bands in Manchester. They play a fun and original brand of indie rock with a slight country tinge. Key to this is their drumming, which is propulsive without ever being overwhelming. The band also makes use of three vocalists, taking it in turns to lead and support. Alternating between shouting and singing, duets and solo performances, their sound never felt stale or overwrought. Instead, they kept the crowd engaged effortlessly – no easy feat for a support. It was a demonstration of a band very much capable of moving beyond the Manchester underground. Notably, their debut and only single ‘I’ve Never Met Anyone I Thought I Could Really Love (Until I Met You)’ contrasts itself with most underground music at the moment by being distinctly upbeat and life-affirming.
Overall, both bands put on a really entertaining night of music and put themselves forward as ones to keep an eye on. It was the kind of gig I could see myself bragging about getting to see in a couple of years. While both bands had quite different sounds, they shared a mix of inventiveness and accessibility – a hard tightrope to walk – and are worth giving a listen.
