Tonight was the last night that Exeter would have the pleasure of seeing a Cambridge based alternative rock band called MALLORY KNOX, but why? had they received a lifetime ban from the city? was there a restraining order in place? will we ever know?

It was only in August that I received a press release from MALLORY KNOX telling me about a new track ‘Wherever’, that was being released ahead of their latest long player which also landed in August. In amongst the words on the press release, the following passage caught me eye;

“Music is everything to Mallory Knox. They love it so much that on the creation of ‘Mallory Knox’ they didn’t want to stop writing it. Over five different sessions and 14 months of recording the band worked tirelessly, never happy with what they had and always confident that the next song they write would be even better than the last.”

So when I received a further email in September advising that the band had decided to call it day accompanied with a statement advising that after ten years, four albums and countless tours, they’ve decided that they have gone as far as they can with Mallory Knox and a decision was made to call it a day after this tour….

I have searched online for anything that may give me some clues as to WHY they’ve decided to do what they’re doing, maybe creative differences within the band (that’s what bands normally blame it on), but try as I might, I’ve not been able to find anything at all. Maybe after 10 years being a band, they just decided that they’ve accomplished all they can as a band and that the best decision is to break up and see what happens next?

Tonight saw the band at the Exeter Cavern for one last show in the city which has played host to them on many occasions over their 10 year tenure as a band. Chatting to a few fans ahead of the show, they were genuinely moved when they heard that they’d made the decision to break up and without a reason, they were left confused and wondered if any of them would emerge in the future under another name, I guess only time will tell!

With queues around the block, you’d have thought that The Cavern in the heart of Exeter was offering a 3 for 1 drinks promotion to entice the population of the university into its embrace. Looking at the people in the queue, they didn’t look like students, they looked more like hardened music fans who were here to see a show, not just any show I might add as tonight was the FINAL time a band called MALLORY KNOX would be playing in Exeter.

Chatting to a few fans ahead of the gig, there was definitely an air of sadness in their voices, some had been following the band for a good few years and were shocked owing to the fact that a new album had landed literally 4 weeks prior to the announcement being issued. Some saw it as a celebration, a chance for the band to thank their fans for 10 years of fun and frivolity and to make sure that they left with their heads held high! 

Opening up were local alt-rock trio DEAD GROUND. Ollie Harris’s ‘Matt Bellamy’ styled falsetto vocals, combined with a deep heavy bass and driving drums vibrated through you.

The drummer showed immense technical skills when the tracks took a slower, more ethereal sound.

Their tracks were full of riff heavy guitars with a perfectly balanced sound all round and Ollie’s guitar playing skills are something else! These guys have been on the local scene for a while now and proved themselves to be a worthy opening act at such a landmark show.

LED BY LANTERNS are a Birmingham based alt-rock 4 piece and have to be one of the most ‘bouncy’ bands I've ever seen live.

They posses a proper indie rock vibe whilst having the ability to drop in some killer riffs for the fans who like things a little heavier. They have an impressive touring setup, with lighting strips and boxes on the stage for the members to stand on during their set, they already look well equipped to be taking on larger stages and festivals.

I have a feeling these would go down well with bands like Circa Waves and would be a sure fire hit at next year’s Reading & Leeds Festival. 

MALLORY KNOX kicked off proceedings with the opening sequence to Europe’s ‘The Final Countdown’, whilst the drummer took to the stage to a massive roar from the sell out crowd. He had his moment in the spotlight, showcasing some impressive dance moves before the rest of the band joined him on stage.

The band were on top form and produced an emotional set which covered their entire back catalogue. It was great to see the crowd’s reaction when they launched into "Shine at the Moon". With other classics such as "Ghost in the Mirror" and "Lighthouse" on the setlist, there was plenty of singing along and I can honestly say that The Cavern was in good voice for this very special show. 

With it being Mallory Knox’s farewell tour, the crowd varied a lot from person to person, ranging from first timers to die hard fans who have been with the band from the outset. The Cavern was RAMMED, you know when it’s REALLY busy as the ceiling starts to sweat! The audience showed real passion and energy from the beginning to the end and I’m sure that the gig will be long remembered by fan and the band alike.

Thank you for the last ten years guys, it’s been a blast!

The new self titled album is available to buy NO

Words and Pictures by www.marthafphoto.com