Day-long queues down the streets of Manchester but for what band?

Absolute chaos was caused across Manchester by Lovejoy at neighborhood festival. The band were performing in two venues both with around a six-hundred-person capacity. Despite this, probably a few thousand fans had turned up at neighbourhood festival to see them perform. The festival seriously underestimated the fanbase of this recently formed indie band however lead singer Wilbur Soot’s online following allowed the band to grow exceptionally fast.

Ever since they became a band around two years ago, I have been a massive fan of the Indie-pop band Lovejoy lead by Wilbur Soot an internet sensation and twitch streamer with millions of viewers and subscribers. The band also consists of Ash Kabosu the bassist, Joe Goldsmith the guitarist and Mark Boardman the drummer. When performing live they also have three trumpeters on stage. The band has a unique style of music I’ve never heard before with super upbeat guitar and a marvelous use of trumpets throughout their songs unlike any music in this genre I’ve listened to before. The music is matched with Wilbur’s beautiful voice and incredible lyricism.  

Outrage burst on twitter when hundreds fan were outraged, they couldn’t get into Lovejoy’s venues and rightfully so after they bought tickets just for this band. Of course, this was a festival, and it was mentioned that all venues were first come first serve but the band for sure needed bigger venues.

Luckily, I managed to see Lovejoy at their second show of the day however I did have to wait in the venue for Five hours before they were on or else, I would never have got in. The band arrived in a very undramatic way with members stumbling onto the stage early to set up instruments. At first, I was surprised they didn’t choose a more eccentric entrance however, Wilbur later explained during the day they’d had instrumental and technological issues that they were trying to fix.

Nevertheless, the crowd were going absolutely nuts at the sight of any band member. Screaming, crying and filling their camera rolls Lovejoy has to be one of the most dedicated fan bases I’ve seen. I do have to admit however, this could be due to most of the fandom being quite young around middle teenage years. Other than parents dragged along by their children I didn’t see a single adult there.

Eventually the band take to the stage, and it was absolutely worth the wait. Brilliant Bass, guitar, drums and quirky trumpet circulate the room blended with Wilbur’s passionate voice. Their stand-out song is ‘The Fall’ starting slow and mellow until a sudden drop where the music intensifies, and Wilbur’s spikey lyrics begin. He’s almost shouting but in a beautiful way, certainly a therapeutic song to belt out along with a whole room of fans.

When it was what felt all too quick the end of Lovejoy’s set, the crowd in unison almost like a cult chanted “ONE MORE SONG”. “We have a time slot” Wilbur began explaining but eventually gave in to the pressure of hundreds of dedicated fans shouting and Lovejoy played an unreleased song. I really appreciated how they tried their best to keep the fans happy after everyone there had waited hours to see them.

Lovejoy are a fantastically individual and distinctive band whose powerful music and performance style I adore. I would 100% recommend listening to the band and going to see them live. My personal favourite of their songs are ‘Sex sells’, ‘The Fall’ and ‘You’ll understand when your older’.

Considering they are such a new band, if the mile long queues down the street that no other artist at the festival archived doesn’t already emphasise how talented Lovejoy are, I don’t know what would.

Setlist: Taunt, Model Buses (live debut), Perfume, The Fall, Consequences, One Day, Sex Sells, Concrete, It’s Golden Hour Somewhere.