To the uninitiated, a band called About Bunny might conjure images of something soft and fluffy, a harmless entity made for petting and chewing the cud, but when it comes to this London-based bunch, nothing could be further from the truth. With bundles of nervous energy, the band hit the stage and deliver a no-holds-barred type affair and with a hyperactive woman leading the charge, looking like she might invade the crowd at any moment, things get pretty hectic, pretty quick. Yet, the whole band cut an impressive figure with a mean, moody, menacing guitarist and a rhythm section who aren’t afraid to mix things up. They deliver a tight 30-minute set that certainly leaves the crowd hungry for more, and with original cuts like ‘Special’ in their arsenal, headline status beckons.
One band who were seemingly born to top bills are Dead Posey. With their strong visual aesthetic and even stronger songs, the band radiate star quality and are on an upward trajectory towards the biggest stages. Since forming in 2016, the husband and wife team of guitarist Tony Fagenson and vocalist Danyell Souza have been tickling our eardrums with some of the finest alternative music known to man. Drawing musical influences from the likes of Nine Inch Nails, Depeche Mode and Rob Zombie, Dead Posey refine their inspirations into a wholly original sound and one that will attract metalheads, punks and psychobillies in equal measure. And with a strong look culled from the likes of David Lynch and Salvador Dali, the band make an arresting experience and as soon as the first note rings out (and I mean the very first note) the crowd are enchanted by the band’s magnetic pull and drawn towards the stage.
Ever since Robert Johnson (allegedly) sold his soul to the devil, the occult has been an integral part of (the darker side) popular culture, but it’s rarely been utilised as well as Dead Posey employ it. With just the right amount of peril and threat, a sense of danger emanates from the stage, but not so threatening that a near capacity crowd don’t jostle for a prime position in front of the stage. Danyell is undoubtedly a star in the making, a big personality who radiates charisma and ensures that all eyes are trained upon her. She has the making of a style icon, and it’s surely just a matter of time until her look is replicated in every alternative nightclub the world over. But most importantly, Dead Posey come armed with a bunch of stellar tunes; ‘She Went Bad’ casts a black spell over the venue whilst ‘Parasite’ softens the crowd up, then lands a killer punch. A cover of New Order’s ‘Blue Monday’ finds the band wrestling control and making it their own (which is exactly how a cover version should be approached). New track ‘Welcome To The Nightmare’ signposts a bright future (despite the band’s dark aesthetic) and whets the appetite for their debut album.
Apparently this was Dead Posey’s first headline show, but it’s a status they seem made for and I predict that the sky’s the limit.
