Westside Cowboy

Brudenell Social Club

Support: Holly Head

Hallowed by thy Cameron Winter. As we all know, social media has been in a vice-like grip of Geese-mania in recent months. I actually listened to Geese before you did but, to be honest, all of the online attention has put me off. I like Westside Cowboy now! Did you know they supported Geese on their UK tour in March? I actually saw them before they were big at the Brudenell. Let me tell you all about it in less than 400 words…

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Opening proceedings tonight are Holly Head from Manchester. On the surface, they are sonically direct and powerful. But when digging deeper, it’s evident that the rhythm section governs the band’s signature sound. Drawing from personal influences that range from hip-hop to jungle, the bass and drums are angular, funky and irresistibly danceable. Even the band members themselves are in a state of perpetual animation onstage.   

At the heart of Holly Head’s music lies the band’s political philosophy. A first draft of the band’s debut single ‘No Gain’ was written in a custody cell following a protest related arrest. The significance of political values to their song writing is no clearer than on the closing song of their support slot – ‘No Country is an island’. The song is a response to the toxic and progressively growing culture of dehumanising migrants. Its message is unrelenting and the sense of exasperation from Joe Moss (vocals) is abundantly clear. 

Westside Cowboy’s headliner setlist was nothing short of Shakespearean.

The first act was one of chaos. Ushered in by a cover of ‘Midnight Cowboy’ (Santo & Johnny), we were given the first sniff of Reuben Haycock’s delectable slide guitar talents that would be showcased throughout the evening. The was followed by a string of the band’s more spirited numbers like ‘Can’t See’ and ‘Drunk Surfer’.

Act two was the eye of the storm. A moment of calm and decompression in which ‘Shells’ and ‘Slowly I’m Sure’ stunned the crowd into silence. Whilst Westside Cowboy are still relative newcomers to the scene, an established fan base already exists – with a small portion of the crowd knowing every word to even the unreleased tracks. 

The final act was the band’s defining moment, featuring their strongest output thus far with ‘Don’t Throw Rocks’ and ‘Strange Taxidermy’. Most Westside Cowboy songs start life as a simple folk tune before evolving into something more. ‘In the morning’ is the exception to that rule. They found perfection in the song’s rawest format, with the band gathering around a single microphone for their closing number, performing an acoustic shanty with beaming smiles.

Westside Cowboy are the Charizard of music university bands. Their journey to national success will be swift and deserved. Whilst support from Island Records will surely help, the credit lies entirely with their chemistry, song writing and humility.

Words by Lucas Blackwell.

Picture by Harry Scott (@shotbyhscott).