Hailing from Toronto, Canada, four-piece alternative rock band Dilly Dally took to the stage of NME’s 2012 “Best Small Venue”, the Tunbridge Wells Forum, for the first time on Thursday night. Following an appearance at The Great Escape Festival in May, and set to play Field Day at Victoria Park this weekend, the performance appeared to function as a warm-up gig for the group, who were on top form despite the intimate setting of the concert.
The first act of the evening, Brighton trio Sappy, were a seemingly fitting support for the headliner. Blasting rock tunes, such as ‘Asphyxiated’, coupled with sweet female harmonies from the bassist, the enthusiasm and enjoyment of the band was evident as they bounced around the stage and into the crowd. Second up were Welsh indie band Estrons. Fronted by a strong female lead vocalist with bare feet and a tonne of soul, the catchy guitar riffs of songs such as ‘Drop’ and ‘Make A Man’ shone as the band exuded energy and confidence in their performance.
Slightly later than scheduled, Dilly Dally made a subtle entrance onto the stage. Launching into ‘Ballin’ Chain’, the audience were wowed by the rich gravelled tones of guitarist and singer Katie Monks’ voice, as the band embarked upon a series of tracks consisting of messy guitar chords, interwoven with intricate lead notes. “What’s up, this is dope” Monks casually states, reflecting the comforting informality of the performance as the band race through songs such as ‘Snake Head’ from their debut album, Sore, released in October of last year.
Despite the poor turn-out, the audience appeared immersed in the experience, the pink and blue lighting creating an ambient shadowy haze that surrounded the band and contributed to the relaxed atmosphere of the performance. A personal favourite, ‘Get To You’, was received enthusiastically by the crowd, lead guitarist Liz Ball clearly invested in the track as she worked note-perfectly through every solo. Screaming through ‘Purple Rage’, the subtleties of the bass and guitar sections were underpinned by the effortless vocals. Despite a mid-set interruption, Monks leaving the stage for a short period before apologetically returning, the action only further served to contribute to the mysterious and intriguing nature of the band. Finally, ‘The Touch’, and recently released single ‘Desire’, were performed in a consistently skillful and enjoyable manner, completing the group’s set before they left the stage in an as understated fashion as in which they had arrived.
Words by Kate Eldridge