Singer and guitarist Jonny Brown admitted that he was stunned to hear revellers in Elgin’s Flanagans Bar chanting along to many of the band’s punk-inspired anthems during their first-ever visit to the North of Scotland. “We came to Elgin thinking, ‘Does anyone know us up here?” said Jonny, “but when we got on stage, it was like the whole crowd was singing every word to every song. We didn’t expect that.”
Twisted Wheel have supported the likes of Oasis, Paul Weller and The Enemy, but despite their growing reputation on the British music scene, they like nothing better than having a blast at tiny venues like Flanagans.
Being within touching distance of a pogo-ing, beer-spraying mass of fans in the Elgin venue was right up 22-year-old Brown’s street, even if one fan did get a bit too close for comfort.
“I don’t think it could have gone any better. The crowd were supercool,” he said.
“There were no barriers at the front, so some kid fell over on my pedal board and knocked all the wires out after about three songs.“It was a bit annoying when you spend several hundred pounds on one of these pedals and then it is wrecked. But I want people to go mad at a gig rather than just stand there, and that’s what you get in smaller places like this, which is great.”
The ‘Wheel’ got in motion with the frantic, ‘She’s A Weapon’, a stand-out from their eponymous debut album. Next up were the raucous, rock n’ roll riffs of ‘Lucy the Castle’, who according to Brown’s vocal is “gonna blow your mind” – much like the effect the song had on the front rows of the crowd.
After ripping through three more numbers, including the Arctic Monkeys-style ‘Bang of the Beat’, Jonny announced that it was time for some new material from the forthcoming second album, due out later this year. One of the tracks, ‘Turnaround’, boasts a rousing Oasis-like chorus which could make it a hit single.
“Whee-ul, whee-ul,” was the chant as Rick Lees’ throbbing bass and Adam Clarke’s relentless drums took on ‘Let them Have It All’, with a screaming solo from Brown thrown in for good measure.
Twisted Wheel’s trademark number, the booze-soaked ‘You Stole The Sun’. was the highlight of the night, creating a grunge pit of sweaty bodies all chanting, leaping and clapping while struggling to hold onto their bottles of lager.
The chanting continued into the opening line of ‘Strife’, and the set finished with the rip-roaring singles, ‘We Are Us’ and ‘Oh What Have You Done’ – the latter in the style of Stiff Little Fingers, and perhaps directed by Brown at the fan who destroyed his pedal board.
“I have never known about bands coming this far north,” he said after the 50-minute performance. “We have just come from Bathgate and Stirling, which were great, but this was the best so far.”
The Wheel may be starting a revolution on the British indie scene, selling out large venues down south, but they are keen to continue playing smaller venues as a reminder of how it all started for them in and around the Manchester area three years ago.
And the good news for their Moray fans is that Brown is keen for the band to come back to the area one day.“I would definitely come up here again. The people are friendly, and the hospitality is great. It’s a long way up, but the countryside is great, and it’s a real eye-opener for us.”
Twisted Wheel are the latest big catch reeled in by Moray music promoter Scott Divers (Mad Ferret), who said he was thrilled by the response from fans to another big night.“I thought it was by far the best gig to date,” said Scott, whose next major attraction will be Dundee-based The Law at Flanagans on May 1.
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