Live at Whammy
30 November 2024
Live Music Review by Music Journalist: Paul Marshall
Soft Bait at The Others Way Music Festival
Having attended more live shows than Gordon Ramsay has recipes, I’ve seen it all—from the painstakingly meticulous to the gloriously chaotic. As a songwriter and musician with an ear for just about every genre under the sun, it was no surprise that tonight’s lineup at The Other Way festival served up something for everyone. In fact, it was nothing short of a sonic smorgasbord, a carefully curated feast of aural sculpting that tantalised every sense.
Soft Bait
The air was thick with anticipation as Soft Bait took the stage at Whammy, a venue small enough to ignite chaos with a single riff. The band, embodying a raw, punk angst that could only come from youth unbridled, kicked things off and from the first note, the night was set to go off the rails—literally. Beer was flying, the crowd was pulsating with energy, and by the fourth song, a fan’s exuberant dance sent part of the stage fixture crashing to the floor.
As for the sound, it was loud—very loud. Clocking in at 110dBA, Soft Bait didn’t just play their instruments; they bludgeoned them into submission. The rattling snare during the quieter moments of their set was one of those elements that could've been a touch of punk authenticity… if it didn’t drive the trained ear insane. Still, there was something undeniably punk about it all—“Oh well, it can’t be helped,” the band quipped, shrugging off the imperfections like true rebels.
Soft Bait’s tracks were so infectious, even the bar staff couldn’t resist the rhythm, dancing behind the counter. Air guitars were strummed and air drums were pounded as the room grew in size and intensity. The pogoing began like an infectious wave, spreading through the crowd with ease, until—of course—a mosh pit erupted in the centre, a perfect storm of flailing limbs and youthful exuberance.
Just when you thought it couldn’t get any more chaotic, the crowd surfing started, albeit briefly. One eager fan was hoisted into the air, only to fall victim to the not-quite-packed crowd that couldn't hold him aloft for long.
“Tonight we’ve been playing a lot of new songs—we’ve just finished our album,” the frontman declared, just before a fan pulled off what might’ve been the night’s most insane stunt: lifted upside down, he managed to walk across the ceiling like some punk-rock acrobat. It was pure chaos, pure youth, and in that madness, Soft Bait captured something magical—a night of untamed energy, music, and absolute mayhem.
If you missed them this time, you’d better catch them next time—because this isn’t a band that stays on the ground for long.
Reviewer: Paul Marshall
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