Witching Waves
Camp Cope
Camp Cope and Witching Waves Live at Chalk, Brighton
At the Chalk venue in Brighton, Witching Waves’ Mark Jasper (guitar, vocals) comments it is the first time they have played here “and the first time you would have been here!”. Yes, tonight marks the first gig for Chalk, formerly known as The Haunt, which has recently been improved and refurbished. The Haunt was a great little venue, but Chalk is not too much of a departure keeping the intimate feel and great sound.
Witching Waves released their third long player ‘Persistence’ this year. This three piece are tight and the chemistry is fantastic. Eye 2 Eye is particularly sharp, but their whole set goes down a storm. Everyone in the band is great, though a notable mention for the talent of Emma Wigham who is giving it everything singing and drumming at the same time, and, later, further powering the night along switching to some guitar duties for Camp Cope (more on that later).
Completely new to Witching Waves I am 100% won over, and look forward already to seeing them live again.
Opening with a short burst of ‘Warning’ by Green Day is both playful and critical, and Camp Cope set the tone early. They are a genuine joy, full of laughs and humour – a shout out goes to Stath Lets Flats- but this is wholly balanced with an entirely appropriate stark seriousness and recognising the power of their platform highlighting injustices, inequality, the need for solidarity, and calling on the men in the audience to address the issue of toxic masculinity with other men.
Georgia Maq is not only a wonderfully personable frontperson but also an incredible singer, the vocals on their tracks resonating on a whole other level in a live setting. Musically they are more than solid (what a bass player Kelly-Dawn Kelso is!), drummer Sarah Thompson driving the guitar and bass home on their faster tracks, but there is a lot of powerful reflection here tonight too with Georgia Maq trying out a new track solo, a cover of Frightened Rabbit’s captivating “Head Rolls Off” , and a moving rendition of “The Face of God”.
They close with “The Opener” and Emma Wigham is back, taking over the guitar and fitting in perfectly, giving Georgia Maq the space to fully command the stage – an apt metaphor for the perceptive and compelling lyricism of this absolute triumph of a song.
Check them out on their next UK tour!
