It’s a hit at LumSoc’s band night

Sick of notoriously dire nights out on Broad Street, the Pear is rammed on Wednesday nights as some of the uni’s best live acts take to the stage.

Plus it’s warm in the pub.

Every other Wednesday, AVenue at the Bristol Pear hosts Live and Unsigned Music Society’s collection of up and coming music groups, showcasing many talented young bands from Brum and beyond for just £3.

We arrived at the packed venue full of Selly Oak’s finest collection indie kids and music aficionados, buzzing at the thought of being able to boast to all their mates about having discovered the next band on the scene.

Tekoa

Who: A Chelsea-boot wearing, folksy double act mixing covers and original creations with chillingly beautiful Civil Wars-esque harmonies.

What: Making their debut at the Bristol Pear, Tekoa started out strong and drew in a crowd with their mashed-up rendition of Taylor Swift’s Blank Space, and followed on with a selection of covers including Ed Sheeran’s A-Team, which proved a roaring success despite a few nervous moments. Their original material went down a storm.

Verdict: Alison, postgrad music student (she’d know) said: “The guitarist is very confident, really nice voice and I’m looking forward to seeing them again.”

Don’t Tell Annabelle

Like 1D but better

Who: Five guys with an eclectic range of covers that even your mum would love, with the addition of some funky sax.

What: It wasn’t the band’s first outing in the Bristol Pear, and it showed when they got everyone clapping and grooving to their accomplished set of covers including Red Hot Chili Peppers, Arctic Monkeys and even ABBA’s Does Your Mother Know.

Verdict: The verdict from Chemistry student Adam Orme: “12/10, quality banter.”

Little Dynamite

Gettin’ groovy

Who: Already extremely accomplished on the unsigned music circuit having played gigs to busy crowds across the country in big cities like London and Cardiff, Little Dynamite returned to the quaint setting of the Bristol Pear to headline the night in their usual sassy style.

Nice to see they haven’t forgotten their roots.

What: Little Dynamite, made up of LumSoc committee members Joe and Lizzie, wowed the crowd first of all with their cover of Gloria Gaynor’s 70s disco classic I Will Survive, which showed off Lizzie’s amazing vocals and got the crowd up on their feet dancing like your drunk aunt at a wedding after a few too many gin and tonics.

The real show-stopper of the set though was their original song, Love Shone Through, which is even available on iTunes. Impressive or what?

Verdict: LumSoc co-President, History student Abi Farrell said: “I’m really happy with the turnout.

“Headliners Little Dynamite definitely drew in the crowds”.

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