“I don’t want to see any folded arms” lead singer and guitarist Holly Ross commands to the rows of people stood awkwardly at the front. This sets the tone of the whole concert, as Lancaster-based band The Lovely Eggs are all about making people have a good time, encouraging people to dance and “have a party”. The psychedelic punk rock band succeed in creating an energetic atmosphere at their sold-out gig at Brudenell Social Club, with all ‘arm-folders’ giving in to the fast-paced, catchy music.
The band are promoting their new album, This is Eggland, which included songs like ‘Wiggy Giggy’ and ‘I Shouldn’t Have Said That’. Their two support acts were successful in drawing a large crowd, with the first act being four-piece folk-pop band Mr. Ben & the Bens followed by the hilarious Porky the Poet (a.k.a Phill Jupitus).
Despite being a two-piece band, The Lovely Eggs took command of the stage and gave off arguably more energy than that of larger bands. Holly showed her impressive skills as she thrashed around the stage with her guitar despite being very hungover (the first thing she admitted to the audience after walking on stage). This is no surprise considering they are only two gigs into their tour, yet their solid performance suggests that every gig will be a ‘party’.
As their name suggests, The Lovely Eggs were quirky from start to finish, as both Holly and drummer David Blackwell wore matching capes and colourful tights. The audience was very diverse in age, showing how their eccentric aesthetic appeals across the board. The band encouraged audience participation and asked hecklers to speak up so they could hear them, often resulting in embarrassment for the hecklers. Their set included the songs ‘Magic Onion’ and ‘Would You F**k!’, both receiving enthusiastic audience reactions.
They ended the night on a more serious note as they asked the audience to take a leaflet about anti-fracking, showing the band to be multi-dimensional and using their platform for a good cause. The Lovely Eggs certainly have more to them than their name might suggest, as their potentially esoteric music turned out to be incredibly appealing and overall an extremely likeable, talented band.
Lucy Ingram