Tonight, Exeter Phoenix hosted another of its legendary New Band Showcase events, this was not the first and most certainly won’t be the last and looking back over the last few years, I have been turned on to some killer bands thanks to these events.

With 4 bands taking to the main stage in the auditorium to ply their wares for all in attendance, it was great to see such a healthy turnout on a chilly, January evening. The fact that there was no door charge was great as nobody has any money after Christmas and we all know that January has 65 days but it won’t be long until payday!

Kicking off the evening was The Retrospect, a new four piece classic rock band made up of students from Exeter University. They covered a wide range of songs that appealed to all and the setlist included some classics from their influences including Eagles, The Clash and a highlight from the set for me which was a tremendous cover of ‘My Sharona’ by The Knack, not an obvious choice but a brave move which paid off as they nailed it!

One for the Road are a new 4-piece band formed of 4 students from Exeter College. Their influences swayed from classic rock n’ roll to funk, blues and soul. The keyboard player spent most of his time using a retro looking ‘keytar’, (think keyboard hanging around your neck like a guitar. The guitar player was lost in his own world, pulling killer licks from deep within. The mullet donning husky voiced frontman was more than capable and when he let go, he really let go, that voice was something else! The drummer looked more than happy sat behind the big guns, helping to keep the act together. Their cover of ‘Long Train Runnin’ was a highlight for me.

Venice Treacle are a local act that combine right angled riffs with harmonies to create a kind of groovy dance punk extravaganza. They refer to their sound as ‘Quank’ and it really needs to be heard to be believed.They sang about Spanish Stu (the food, not a guy called Stu from Spain), they sang of rule sand regulations and other subject matter which was thrown into the blender, to create engaging grooves, jagged, haphazard sounding guitars, incendiary drums and a bassline that couldn’t have been more elastic it it tried. If I were forced to categorise their sound, I would say that it sat firmly between the quirky sound of Squid, mixed with the backing of Dry Cleaning, which is never a bad thing. The frontman reminded me of a youg Robyn Hitchcock, not Alfred Hitchcock, that would have been odd. Venice Treacle create music for thinking folk, the juxtaposition of the solid backline, the melodic bass and sporadic guitars melded together perfectly to create, well, ‘Quank’. A recent live session at Exeter’s Tazma studios (Tazma Live Session 017 – Venice Treacle) is to be followed by their debut EP, Modern Elixir on Monday 27th January, it truly is a cure for ennui and a tonic for the soul.

Closing the showcase event was Wasabi, a four piece alternative/shoegaze band from Exeter who mix their diverse influences to craft a sound that’s both nostalgic and new. Their output was swathed in effects, swirling sounds around the auditorium as the 4 members, worked meticulously to create a hypnotic experience for all. The vocals harked back to the late 80’s, Julianne Regan from All About Eve came to my mind as a key contender. The bass was a melodic treat, anyone who knows me, you know I am a sucker for a well crafted bass line and this was exactly what I needed to close the night. The drums swung from simple patterns, snare and hi-hat, rapid, urgent beats for the band to riff over, this changed in the last track when the drummer pulled out a pair of brushes, what was bordering on a heavy goth rock vibe quickly changed to something that wouldn’t have sounded or looked out of place in a smoky bar. Taking influence from bands  such as Portishead, Slowdive, The Cure and Fontaines D.C. this versatile act released their debut E.P “Ennui” in December 2024. This E.P really showcases the band’s ability to fuse genres seamlessly offering a new dynamic exploration of sonic moods, FX, and styles to bring their original and independent sound to life. Definitely one to watch.

So there you go, my take on a fabulous evening of music from 4 local bands whom I hope we will be seeing much more from in the future. It’s events like this hosted at community led places such as The Phoenix in the heart of the city that allows bands and artists to gaon confidence, to play in front of people and to hone their craft, a massive thank you and well done to all who were involved including the sound, lighting, stage crew, security, bands and of course, you, the people who came along, bought a drink, had a dance and helped to create a marvellous warm and inviting vibe which is what we all love The Phoenix for!

Until next time…

Words and Pics by musomuso.com