29/02/24
Excitement builds as crowds begin to descend on legendary King’s Cross venue Scala. As we enter the grand foyer we are immediately greeted by Safe Gigs for Women volunteers - a welcome presence at any gig, but particularly reassuring among the male-dominated crowd. Young and old gather together with anticipation we await the return of the nations fiercest two-piece, the unassumingly named, JOHN.
Chatter fades as Northern Irish/ Dutch duo Fräulein take to the stage. With bold, heavy hitting anthems, their charm and craftsmanship are a joy to behold. Fusing math rock inspirations into their grunge fuelled sound, their performance is a high octane opening. Tearing through their set with a slick ease, this is an act that continue to get better and better.
From one two-piece to another, eyes then turn to the main act. Fans have travelled from far and wide for the bands biggest ever London headline show. Having gained somewhat of a cult following along the way, their loyal and dedicated fans are a true testament to their work to date.
Taking to the stage, vocalist/drummer John Newton declares, “I’m John. He’s John. We are the band JOHN.” Guitarist Johnny Healy grasps his guitar like a weapon as the two-piece tear into their set. From the get go, the duo command the stage, each as ferocious and precise as the other. Seemingly never limited by their size, the pair bring a maximalist offering, creating a textural wall of sound that would be sonically impressive for a band twice their size.
“This one’s a big one for us,” beams John Newton. With some challenged by their name, he comments, “We know we’re hard to find, but thanks so much for coming.” Delivering a non-stop set full to the brim with energy and passion, JOHN are a class act who deliver rhythmically driven rock at its very best.
Find JOHN online searching JOHN (TIMESTWO)
