The Bullycats
Live

The darkness inside Lennon’s in Southampton provided the perfect atmosphere for the deep country rock of The Bullycats. Despite Live 8 depriving them of a full audience, they made a top effort with their performance and kept the crowd entertained throughout their set.

It was apparent from the moment they took to the stage that this band was going to offer something different, and they didn’t disappoint. Opening with the powerful ‘Delta Rhythm’ it was clear that toes were tapping from the off, due to its catchy riffs and dexterity of bass. Their sound is one which has been perfected to take you away from contemporary rock, back to the raw music behind that movement. The vocalist’s deep country voice, perfected by frequent high rises and passion for the music, often meant most people were unable to take their eyes off him.

By the third song, the audience had been put at ease by the catchy and energetic tunes. Many punters had even taken to the dance floor. ‘7th Floor’ kept up them there and with hooky lyrics like ‘I don’t care if you don’t like my friend Charlie’, it seemed that they were crafted just compliment the front man’s unique and fascinating voice. ‘7th floor’ also allowed the drummer to really shine with his powerful, foot stomping beat.

Such a small stage must have been cramped for this Winchester five-piece, but it just left you wondering how they would look on a big stage. This is something I’m looking forward to. Even technical difficulties late in the set just emphasised the professionalism of these guys. Easily able to handle the loss of their lead guitar, they continued the song without looking phased or worried, whilst the guitarist tried to fix the problem around them.

In fact, the disappearance of lead guitar allowed rhythm and bass to take a turn in the limelight, demonstrating their talent and preventing the music from wavering into noise, while keeping the crowds eyes on them rather than the problem.

After the reappearance of lead guitar, The Bullycats were able to come back with a strong ending in the form of ‘Rosemary Rags’ and with good lyrics and confidence to the very end, this new song to their collection was well received.

An energetic, uniquely talented performance ensured I’ll certainly be looking out for future gigs.