LIVE: Touts @ Liverpool Sound City, 27.05.17

Two front men in a band? It worked for Kasabian and it worked for Oasis, and it works for Touts, a group of three lads paving the way for the punk resurgence.

Picture: a heaving tent of wild fans, stopping feet, a sweaty atmosphere and three guys on stage (fairly new to the music circuit) standing in awe as the crazy crowd scream lyrics back to them. A serious pinch-me-I’m-dreaming moment, it seems.

For a band who promote themselves as “a singer that can’t sing, a mod that can’t play bass and a drummer that can’t see” they are good. They are better than good – they are phenomenal.

Throughout the set, the lads flirt with the crowd, drawing their attention inwards and forcing focus on their thick Irish accents. “Raise your hands if you know what we’re saying… We’re going to carry on talking anyways”. Cue cheeky grin from the “mod that can’t play bass”. It is a lie, he definitely can. The track ‘Go Fuck Yourself’ beyond proves it.

Although The Touts’ rawness and poignant energy is what the band are all about, they are yet to find solid, comfortable grounding in this industry. But, isn’t that all what it’s about – chopping, changing, experiencing and growth? Nobody likes a band fresh out the woodwork that has no need to develop. It’s all about experimentation.

They are not commercial, they are not similar to anything on the market and this swirling mess of hyped guitars and noisy ideas proves it. We need this band but you do not know it until you experience it.

Ella Scott
@ellalascott