Words: Will Carr, Photos: Adrian Wharton
As Saturday rolled around, I once again found myself in Leaf, ready to be impressed. Cheery was more than happy to oblige.
Living up to their name, Cheery leapt onto the stage with characteristic exuberance. The uptempo beats hit us like an earthquake and it was nearly more than Leaf’s sound system could take, occasionally drowning the band out with a barrage of audio feedback.
An interesting addition to the lineup, the band’s singer and mastermind, Katlyn Conroy is originally from Kansas and adds not only her unique voice, but her personal story to the often painful and evocative lyrics. The performance combined sweeping melodies with a raw, visceral energy. And as I was busy enjoying the backing band, I was caught off guard by her amazingly pure voice that juxtaposed with the bittersweet lyrics, reminding me of Elena Tonra and Hope Sandoval.
The only solo act I saw this year, the independent singer, songwriter Maya Yenn began with a drum and bass backing track that was nothing short of hypnotic. Known for self-producing and directing her own atmospheric videos, it was clear that we were witnessing the work of a real auteur.
Her work work varies from alt-pop to dark electro-pop and plays with themes of existential dread and the anxiety of adulthood. The themes of nostalgia and the drifting away from one’s youth are incorporated as she weaves in childhood-inspired samples e.g. videogame noises etc.
At the beginning of every song, she’d take a moment to connect with the audience, explaining the inspirations behind the words. With a somber tone hovering in the air, she began impressing the crowd by live recording a series of harmonies before blending in R&B bass lines. The whole show felt like a glimpse into Maya’s creative and amazingly talented soul.
If you’re anything like me, you like punk to have a message and Dead Animals has more messages than you can handle. Spearheaded by their fearless “high priestess” Ruby Roadkill, the band is comprised of trans musicians and artists who are here to kick down some conservative doors and invite you to celebrate queer pride, bodily autonomy and radical hedonism. Like throwing a hand grenade into a business meeting, Dead Animals shook up the status quo of the Weekender’s lineup of indie and punks bands by offering a theatrical fusion of electronic, industrial and pulse-pounding beats.
Transgressive, but not trans-aggressive, the band is fiercely confrontational and so in your face you don’t know where they end and you begin. What punk is to rock, this band is to punk and I’ll be surprised if they’re not headlining Liverpool’s next Pride event, probably wielding a rainbow coloured flamethrower.
Links:
Cheery: INSTAGRAM
Maya Yenn:INSTAGRAM
Dead Animals: INSTAGRAM