Saints Of Sin

The Greyhound, Blandford

Since forming Bournemouth Rock band Saints Of Sin have undergone a number of radical changes to get to where they are now. They have just released their 2nd album and after the shock departure of guitarist Sophie Burrell they are now reduced to a four-piece. Having seen them a couple of times now as a four-piece the band seems to be a different proposition altogether. The four lads comprise of Rui (vocals), Josh (Drums) along with brother’s Marcus “Sparxx” Jenkins (Guitar) and Ashley Jenkins (Bass), seems now to be really finding their feet, being able to really let their hair down. Musically they are all equally capable and their sound is still big and bold with ‘Sparxx’ excellent guitar work and his clever array of effect pedals, which is more than making up for the loss of Sophie.

This afternoon we find ourselves at the spiritual home of the original Teddy Rocks Festival, the Greyhound in Blandford. The place on this rainy Sunday afternoon is packed full of an ever-growing loyal army of fans, who rock up to virtually every gig showing a huge amount of support for whatever the band does. This is a relatively intimate affair for the band as they have spent the Summer playing a host of large festivals around the country thrilling audiences from Paignton to Poole, Prestatyn to Plymouth, Blandford to Bridport, along with plenty of other stop-offs in between. They kick off with one of the new tunes “The Big Bad Wolf” and despite the album only being out a short time, the fans are all word-perfect singing the lyrics right back at the band. The band relies heavily on their own well-crafted original material with a few choice covers thrown in for good measure.

Saints Of Sin 1–2–3–4–5–6–7

I’ve known most of the band for quite a while since seeing them first in a previous band called ‘Mothership’ and it is just fantastic to see how their skills have developed since then. Ashley has recently had a complete image change and this has given him a new lease of life and newfound confidence to become the type of bass player he has always wanted to be. He is no longer shyly hiding behind the 2nd guitarist, he is out front rocking as hard as the rest of them. Drummer Josh is the powerhouse of the band and an essential mature influence that keeps that rock-solid beat and steadies the ship on its journey. Rui has really grown as a frontman and creates a real sense of fun, whipping up the adoring audience while delivering great vocals. Sparxx has a really mischievous nature and plays some explosive guitar riffs that are the backbone of the band’s sound. I think he is really relishing being the only guitarist in the band and has stepped up really well, showing everyone his serious talent.

This afternoon we are treated with a plethora of tracks ranging from the new epic anthem of “Shine Like Stars”; to the delicate ballad of “Forever”, to the ruckus abandonment of final number “21 Shots”. Every number delivered with a huge amount of fun and plenty of infectious enthusiasm, with the crowd loving every minute. The band have a special launch party for the self-titled album planned for the 11th October at The Empire Bar in London and then they head off on tour with the ‘Lost Angels’ for a run of dates throughout October.

Set List
The Big Bad Wolf
Rocket
Feed the Fire
Bang Bang
Alive
Angels
We’re on Fire
Shine Like Stars
Welcome to the Circus
Umbrella (Rhianna)
Forever
Heart Attack
Nasty
Wasted Nights
Uptown Funk (Mark Ronson)
Sweet Child o’ Mine (Guns N’ Roses)
21 Shots