Thanks so much to Joe Fry for sending this through to us. It’s a review of Emergency Break’s recent charity gig that they filmed, and produced a really cool film about. Said film is embedded below the review, so yoiu can just hit “play” once you’ve finished reading! Take it away, Joe…
Cheeky guitar riffs and pulsing drums are all staples of great indie bands. But some deliver a little more than that. Emergency Break have all that, and much more.
We have been holding off on publishing our review for Emergency Break’s rambunctious gig at The Old Blue Last on January 13th. With inside access, we had a tip off that a featurette was being made out of this gig and couldn’t resist the opportunity to review it.
Directed and edited by the sensational Stanley Lane, a director who has worked with various up-and-coming bands in the underground gig scene. Stanley does a great job of capturing the sweaty, pushing crowd and the fiery energy of Emergency Break, a hard task to do. Stanley conveys the great crowd work of frontman Leo Gerchen, who can really carry a crowd throughout the 1 hour and 30 minute set. But Stanley does an excellent job of capturing what I feared was going to be missed from this featurette.
The biggest and most exciting takeaway from this performance, besides an announcement of a summer gig on July 12th at O2 Academy Islington, is the pure charisma and chemistry this band has on and off stage. With half of this featurette being a collection of live performances from the night and the other being behind-the-scenes/soundcheck footage, the film was a delight to watch. Stanley asks the boys questions and it’s always met with such excitement. Throughout we see the growing bond between the family that is Emergency Break.
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When I was in the crowd at The Old Blue Last, you could feel this sense of togetherness as “Murder on the Dancefloor” by Sophie Ellis-Bextor chimes in and the crowd goes mental to the band, appearing in a haze of smoke and flashing lights. The featurette captures the “rock and roll” feel of Emergency Break and shows a perfect blend of the band’s covers like “About You” by The 1975. A particular highlight was the band’s cover of “Teddy Picker” by the Arctic Monkeys, where boys brought a sign-bearing fan up on stage to play drums with them! (Pure Rock N Roll).
The feature of some live versions of previously released Emergency Break singles “PYRO” and debut demo “IT’S OVER” blend seamlessly with the band’s covered material, highlighting the strength of their growing unique sound. “IT’S OVER” continues to be a fan favourite with the crowd pushing towards the stage, only to be won over by Leo crowd surfing with an inflatable banana, two iconic features of an Emergency Break gig.
With their debut featurette, we have live recordings of some unreleased Emergency Break originals, all of which are met with a visceral crowd reaction. A particular highlight is “Irish Ecstasy”, a cult classic for frequent go-to’s at an Emergency Break gig. As the song hits its climax, Leo and percussionist/producer Finlay grab confetti cannons and release them, covering the crowd in the iconic bubble-gum pink colours of Emergency Break. A song like this must be guaranteed for release soon, potentially as part of a debut EP.
Chantable riffs and lively crowds are nothing new to Emergency Break, and whilst their reputation continues to grow not only within the London gig scene but further, I am sure they will eventually be a household name. This featurette has left me very excited to see what action unfolds at the O2 Academy Islington on July 12th, as it will be watched with much regard.
I urge you to check out this featurette on Emergency Break, and I will be giving that and the gig itself a very heartfelt and deserving 5 stars.
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