Desperate Journalist Album Launch

The night pulled together some of the best new post-punk and alternative bands around, with two of our favourites - dressmaker and Terminal Gods - as high-powered support.

Opening with the instant classic ‘Control’, Desperate Journalist had the crowd spellbound within a few seconds, the furious pace never letting up for a moment.

Frontwoman Jo Bevan is compelling - her distinctive and powerful voice has touches of Morrissey’s lyricism and the emotional stabs of Björk.

Armed with a Rickenbacker, Rob Hardy creates a huge guitar sound, incredibly fast and in turns layered, shimmering and stabbing. It’s central to the band’s appeal and miles ahead of what so many ‘indie’ artists are offering up at the moment.

Simon Drowner is powerful and driving on Maranello bass, and charismatic drummer Caroline Helbert provides ferocious attack and pace on a Mapex Horizon kit.

The set included Cristina, Eulogy and Happening from the album, and a gloriously fierce version of Kitten - an early release. The crowd went wild well before the encore. Desperate Journalist are definitely ones to watch for 2015 and the festival bookings should be rolling in.

Desperate Journalist’s album, Desperate Journalist, is out on Fierce Panda Records, available on limited edition vinyl, CD, and digital including iTunes.