Deadnotes/Death By Shotgun/Lucas Hardy

Winchester Gate, Salisbury

Tonight we are in Salisbury at the Winchester Gate to see the return to the UK of Punk trio The Deadnotes from Frankfurt in Germany. The band at long last are about to release their debut album in October called “I’ll Kiss All The Fears Out Of Your Face”. This is the penultimate date of their 10 date tour of the UK where the band have continued to build up a loyal following of British fans.

First up on stage is local lad Lucas Hardy who at first sight looks a little like actor Danny Dyer, but thankfully there is no cockney accent or a barrage swearing like the EastEnders star. Lucas performs with just an acoustic guitar in front of a very respectful audience who listen intently to his pitch-perfect voice. He is very confident and passionately delivers some great original songs including the brilliant “Blood Sweat & Tears” from his first release, which we reviewed here back in 2013. The audience is treated to a Death Cab for Cutie cover “I Will Follow You Into The Dark” which is executed effortlessly. The last tune comes all too quickly and it’s an original called “City by the Sea” which Lucas gets completely lost in, closing his eyes and drifting off into the very depths of the tune. As he completes the number he opens his eyes and the audience reward his efforts with plenty of positive applause.

Lucas Hardy 1–2–3

Next up we have a new band from Bournemouth called “Death of a Shotgun”, who so far have only played a handful of gigs. The four-piece feature Dom Wright on acoustic guitar, Filipe Martins on bass, Matt Gibbons on electric guitar and George Fullerton on drums. They kick off with “Surf’s Up” and the band seem well rehearsed and create a nice sound combining the electric and acoustic guitars. The fast-paced “Hate My Brain” is an ear worm of a song with a great lyrical hook and shows that these guys can certainly write a good tune. Dom’s vocals are spot on and work well combined with Filipe’s harmonies. The final tune of their set reminds me of the catch phrase from the Hugh Grant film “Micky Blue Eyes”. “Forget about It” shows off Matt’s considerable guitar skills and we are treated to the band’s best tune of the night. It’s always a pleasure to see brand new bands and these guys with tonight’s performance show plenty of potential for the future.

Death By Shotgun 1–2–3–4–5–6–7–8

The Deadnotes take to the stage in a whirlwind of youthful energy and immediately launch into “Favourite Shirts”. These guys clearly love what they do and seem comfortable in front of an audience. This is their first time in Salisbury and the three-piece seem surprised and humbled that so many people are here to see them. Though the band are from Germany all their songs are sung in English and the vocals feature a unique style of accent from their native land. We are entertained with great tunes like “Sad & Done” and “Cardboard” from the new album as well as a few older tunes. The songs feature lots of great guitar sounds which benefit from an array of effect pedals, combining with some lovely dark basslines and a huge drum sound. “I’m a Dreamer (Homesick)” provides the audience with a chance to join in the very catchy chorus, actively encouraged by the band. The set ends with an epic brand new tune called “1.20” which sees Darius playing his guitar right in the middle of the audience. The band leave the stage having made many new friends tonight in Salisbury and I’m sure they will return here on their next tour.