OH BOY! Single Launch Party @ Vibe Bar, Shoreditch 31.03.2014.

Sprawling across four rooms and massive courtyard, Shoreditch’s Vibe Bar is an undeniably unique venue. The main bar downstairs is filled with comfy and stylish leather couches, where you can sit and have a pint while listening to the open mic night. The décor is clean and modern with the right amount of shabbiness. In the large courtyard outside you can sit and have whatever type of street food is the hottest thing at the moment.

The venue seemed pretty keen on making sure people knew where the band was playing, since there were signs all over the place reading “OH BOY! THIS WAY” leading upstairs.

The crowd in the upstairs room is small, making the room (which wasn’t that big) look absolutely massive. This was surprising seeing as there seemed to be quite a few people in the downstairs bar and out in the courtyard earlier in the night. I guess they got distracted by the comfy couches and the jerk chicken wraps. However, the foursome hailing from Northampton didn’t seem too phased by the lack of audience and seemed to be enthusiastic about playing tracks from their first EP, appropriately titled ‘EP #1’.

OH BOY!’s melancholic slacker-noise pop is comprised of simple melodies which pack a huge punch. Their sound brings to mind indie rock heroes which filled the ranks of labels such as Creation, Matador and Sub Pop in the late 80’s and early 90’s. The heart of their sound is the dynamic created between the two guitars, while one is playing jangly melodies the other is hammering out chaotic chords drenched in fuzz and reverb. The front man’s laconic vocals contrast brilliantly with saccharine singing of the band’s female bassist.

As a whole the band play with a laid back, but strong confidence. You could say that they are minimalist in terms of the way they perform. The front man keeps his movement to a minimum but didn’t appear stiff, while the bassist calmly moved from side to side with the rhythm of the music. The guitarist on the other hand seemed a bit looser, as he sloppily swayed about the small stage. They looked comfortable on stage, albeit a bit too comfortable. While watching them you crave for that movement when they all cut loose and break out of their controlled nature.