Every now and again a band comes along and changes the status quo.
People aren’t just fans of bands like this. They worship the members like a new form of religion. Such bands draw fans to venues in their thousands. These bands become household names and first presses of their records go on to sell for millions.
On Friday night at Plug, I understood the hysteria that occurred at early Beatles gigs, at early Rolling Stones concerts. To say Parka tore the roof off would be the understatement of the century: this band tore the bloody roof off and then propelled the ceiling into outer space.
A short but sweet setlist perfectly balanced the band’s original, feel good and relatable pop anthems with covers everyone knows the words to. Credit where it’s due, the support acts were phenomenal too. Too often there are more people at the bar buying drinks than there are paying attention to support acts. Both drew a respectable crowd, and Crosswaters even had moshing during their slot due to a tactically selected Sheffield favourite, Arctic Monkeys cover. They didn’t just warm up the stage for Parka; the venue was positively roasting and definitely sweaty by the time that the headline act took to the stage.
A notoriously amiable frontman, Casey Lowry seems to be friends with just about everyone in attendance. He tactfully dismisses chants demanding he takes his shirt off, acknowledging the presence of his football team who have come along this evening. He’s incredibly positive about the support acts and it’s this humbleness paired with his brazen confidence that makes Parka’s set that little bit more brilliant.
He isn’t a frontman who stands in one spot, eyes cast downwards whilst silently wishing the crowd would look a bit more alive. When Lowry says jump, you jump. When Lowry calls for a moshpit, a moshpit appears. Set opener ‘Thrills and Pills’ has girls on peoples’ shoulders and a general taste of what the rest of the set will involve; everyone abandoning all cares and really getting into it. There’s an overwhelming participatory response to the band’s latest single ‘Woahh’; thanks to a well-executed lyric video (credit to Andy Buckland) it seems the majority of people here know the words. If they don’t, it’s no problem, seeing as the chorus is easy enough to pick up:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvMitodnzYE?rel=0]
Other set highlights are a heart-wrenching cover of Of Monsters and Men’s ‘Little Talks’; a track which sees Lowry duet with the beautiful Ellie Jessop, causing a full blown sing-along across the venue and upon conclusion, the duo is met with tumultuous applause. There’s a song about when you’re drunk and going to get with a girl but then she’s an absolute munter – something I’m sure the guys in attendance obviously related to given the ensuing guffaws – fancying the dentist’s assistant and a fantastic acoustic rendition of ‘Mr Brightside’. One of those songs that you’ll know the words to still when you’re infirm and living in a care home, this cover of the iconic Killers’ track unsurprisingly saw a mass stage invasion.
It’s with reluctance that the band wraps things up (you can see they’re having just as much fun as us in the audience); those chanting “EGO EGO EGO” are about to get what they want, as the band launches into an unrelenting epic ‘Big Ego’. It’s the response that Parka provoke from any audience you stick them in front of which makes them ever so exciting.
Ones to watch for 2015, Parka are no doubt destined for big things.
Words by Beth Kirkbride