October Drift Lights Up The Scala with Explosive Energy and Passion
As the fireworks were lighting up the sky outside, we were looking forward to an explosive show from indie rockers October Drift.
The Scalia is a great venue. Small enough to be intimate at a capacity of 800, but big enough to generate the atmosphere of somewhere much larger.
Junodef
Swedish trio Junodef kicked things off in fine style. Their eerie, hypnotic grooves and smooth harmonies drew you in and got the crows on side almost immediately. We were especially impressed with Karin Grönkvist’s vocals and guitar work, while Norea Persson provided the beat and Rode Grönkvist built that atmospheric sound with some great synth work.
Carpark
Nostalgic indie was the order of the day when all-girl trio Carpark hit the stage, and what a show they put on! Their energy is infectious and their songs, oozing catchy melodies and radio friendly hooks was a joy to witness. Vocalist / bassist Scottie describes the band as “Three mates drinking warm beers and making music they wish they had growing up” – and that fits them perfectly. Hattie’s guitar and Loda’s drums complete the sound. They cite the Goo Goo Dolls and Weezer as influences, and you can hear that in the music, but Carpark have a sound and presence all of their own. One to watch out for!
October Drift
October Drift have been making music for around a decade, and have built a strong fanbase, not least due to their live performances. Tonight, on what was their “biggest gig to date” cemented their reputation as one of the most exciting live bands on the circuit.
The packed crowd contained a lot of loyal followers who sang along to every word of the seventeen-song set right from the frantic opener ‘Demons’.
They looked great too – and none more so than vocalist / guitarist Kiran Roy, dressed head to toe in white and a pair of Doc Martens.
New album ‘Blame The Young’ featured heavily, and songs such as ‘Hollow’, ‘Don’t Care’ and ‘Everybody Breaks’ sat nicely amongst more established numbers from 2022’s ‘I Don’t Belong Anywhere’ and 2020’s ‘Forever Whatever’.
A standout number for us was the title track from the new album. ‘Blame The Young’ is an impassioned song exploring politics and societal issues such as poverty and the NHS. The song ebbs and flows to crescendos and tonight it was beautifully delivered by Kiran.
They are a tight unit, with the rhythm section of Alex Bispham (bass) and Chris Holmes (drums/vocals) complimented by the guitars of Dan Young. Their energy comes through on every song and spills out into their audience – sometimes physically, as Dan, Kiran and Chris spent time both in and on the crowd! The sight of them surrounded by singing fans during closing number ‘Like the Snow We Fall’ was something to behold.
What a superb evening of music from three different and truly exciting bands.
Catch any of them if you can!


October Drift Lights Up The Scala with Explosive Energy and Passion @ RockNews
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