It’s not everyday you get a band the caliber of FEEDER playing the English Riviera but the 1000 capacity Foundry in the heart of Torquay gave them the rousing welcome they deserved with a sold out show and an enthusiastic crowd.

However, first up were Portsmouth youngsters CRYSTAL TIDES who are very much in their infancy but put on a well polished energetic set. Musically they are a mixture of Busted and The 1975 (did you know pop pickers -  Busted's Year 3000 charted in UK Top Ten the same week that Feeder's Just They Way I'm Feeling did) bring a pop sensibility to upbeat indie tunes.

Whilst I can find no record of it I'm reliably informed (by the band) that they have a headline show in Bristol at the Louisiana this year, a venue I'm sure they'll have fans bouncing joyfully about in. Go find their latest song 'One night in Paris' on your preferred streaming service, it's a belter.

When Feeder hit the stage there is a palpable release of emotion from a crowd seemingly made up of fans from the 90s and their kids, and by their kids I mean adult offspring. 

Starting off with ‘ELF’ - released just last year - there was briefly a sense that we could miss out on the classics to make way for the new tracks from their upcoming album Black / Red scheduled for release on 5 April, 2024 via Big Teeth Music

And with ‘Kyoto’ swiftly followed by ‘The Healing’, it was clear this was a band not keen on becoming a nostalgia act but one still making vibrant music they believe in as both these tracks are less than 5 years old.

Then we had ‘Feeling a Moment’ which had the audience Woohoo-ing with all their might. Cleverly, this was followed by the latest single release ‘Lost In The Wilderness’ which although sounding a little like a Welsh U2, went down a storm. From here on the fan favourites came thick and fast with a hat trick of strong new tracks smack bang in the middle.

The Foundry was originally a nightclub and the setup is such that there is a large gallery around three sides and a smallish dance floor in front of the stage, the stage being originally just where the DJ would set up. This restricted space added to the intimacy of the event with some fans actually watching the gig from just behind Taka on bass. The cages keeping the stage areas safe on all sides did instead seem like the band were performing in a Mad Max movie, think “Feeder does Thunderdome”.

The encore was one new track followed by the two biggest classics reminding us that not only have they written some great tunes but there could be more to come.

Side note: many people were drinking cider, not many from a lemon. I cannot confirm or deny whether they travelled to their own (communal) house nearby after the gig.

Black / Red is available from April 5 - Pre-order it HERE