#huskyloops

Declan Newcombe, frontman of the band, had an intense stage presence that instantly matched that of Ian Curtis, lead singer of Joy Division. At the same time, the euphoric, jangly guitar notes chimed to form an opening number that that resembled alternative rock and protopunk bands of the ‘80s and ‘90s.

Supporting the complimentary fusion was drummer Patch Morgan, who added a repetitive, catchy beat that transformed the melancholic style. It gave the audience something they could truly engage with.

Newcombe further embraced the punk ethos, by breaking down the barrier between audience and performance. He jumped out into the crowd, circling them while he performed the last few verses.

He returned to the stage, perfectly summarising my own thoughts at the time by stating “all good things must come to an end”, before declaring the next track would be their last.

Husky Loops

Over on the Festival Republic stage, Husky Loops started with a promising low, dramatic bass, delivered by Tommaso Medica.

It resembled a heartbeat, creating a tense atmosphere before guitarist Pier Danio Forni pierced through it with a buzzing, space effect on guitar. The shrill, siren-like repetition of the sensitive guitar slides built up, and then dramatically transitioned to raw power chords.

As the sound continuously altered, with the bass turning from a repeated single note to a far more complex funk riff, it became near impossible to fit the range of songs into one genre – you could be forgiven for thinking the band were performing a medley.