Scarlet Rebels - Another band in the charts that fails to impress live

November 14th 2022

London, Islington, o2 Academy, UK

**2/3

Fall short opening up the evening in London

Scarlet Rebels **2/3 It is quite hard being a newish band, and coming on first on a bill. When people are just coming in to the venue, and I have to say Scarlet Rebels struggled at times. I have been hearing some good things about the band, and with their 'See through Blue' album being No.7 in the UK chart. You actually are left wondering why is the band opening up a show for Fozzy and Escape the Fate at the London, Islington, o2 Academy and not playing their own show. And after seeing them live I totally understand why, they really have a long way to go. Not saying they can't do it, but they are certainly not there yet. Even though I have to say opener 'I'm Alive', does get them off to a good start.

I recently heard the single 'Storm' which has some good riffage in it, and sounds like the Brit-Rock scene of the 90's... a sound that has really been coming back in the year 2022. It also has a good anthem esq. sound to it, so was a little surprised they left this song out of the set. One of the highlights in their short set is the Stereophonics / Gun sounding 'These Days', which was a single for the band. And does show some promise, it is a chart friendly song that takes you back to the sound of 90's Indie Rock music.

So I can understand why a lot of Indie fans, and British Rock fans are taking notice of Scarlet Rebels. And they do sound better on the singles, than they do live. They have a vintage 90's Rock sound, and you feel their music could actually have been recorded back in the 90's. It most definitely doesn't sound modern, you wouldn't believe that the tracks where recorded in the last few years. Their seems to be a wave of British Rock bands, embracing this sound at the moment... we recently covered Collateral and The Treatment and you would put Scarlet Rebels in the same bracket as these.

They have some good song writing ability, but everything sounds a little too similar and predictable in places. And you would have to say you have heard a million other bands do this before, so I am not sure what puts Scarlet Rebels above from any every other Rock band. Unlike Massive Wagons another Rock band that has entered high in the charts recently, who have a really big live presence onstage. I think Scarlet Rebels have not yet found their own identity yet, and when they do have the musical identiy to do something a litttle more interesting.They will need to work on their stage show a little more, because they are miles away from the other bands on the bill tonight Fozzy and Escape the Fate. But I remember seeing Coldplay play to about ten people at the start of their career, and they were pretty poor, so their is every hope that their live show will improve.