Review and photography by Robert Barrett

It takes a strong performance for a band to hold the attention of drunken students in the middle of a night out. This is exactly what newcomers whenyoung achieved whilst playing the side room of the Kasbah on a busy Friday night.

Unusually the gig started at ten, with the band coming on at exactly midnight. Perhaps this was to capitalise on the drunk students wondering inbetween the main room and the smoking area. It was an odd choice.

The Bristol based Haze opened the show, giving their best to entertain the small crowd forming. The political lyrics and driving guitar riffs captivated and provided an entertaining opening act.

As the witching hour began, the Irish trio of whenyoung took to the stage. The red backlit ‘whenyoung’ sign complimented the band’s striking and on brand look, including guitarist Niall’s white shirt emblazoned with song title ‘Pretty Pure’ on the back. The band kicked off with new song ‘Blank Walls’ which ran straight into the the crowd pleaser ‘Heaven on Earth’.

Fellow Irish musicians Shane McGowen and Bono have been linked to the band over the past year, and it’s easy to see why. Their enthusiasm and songs captivated the audience for the entire set.

Lead singer and bassist Aoife’s vocals were ethereal and powerful in equal measure. A couple of fans screamed out about how good they were supporting Peace earlier in the year. “Good? Only good?” replied Niall much to the amusement of the rest of the band.

The song ‘Pretty Pure’ sent the growing crowd into a frenzy. This was followed by a one two punch of ‘Close’ and new single ‘Given Up’ to close the set. Leaving the audience cheering and wanting more, they vanished into the night.

Despite the odd timings, whenyoung showed that they are a force to be reckoned with.

Setlist:
Blank Walls
Heaven on Earth
Actor
The Others
Labour of Love
Pretty pure
Close
Given up

(The original version of this article was first published on Gigjunkies http://www.gigjunkies.com/band-reviews/whenyoung-haze-at-the-kasbah-coventry-uk-12th-october-2018/)