Girl at the Rock Shows

There are some bands that I wish I had had a chance to say goodbye to. I go to as many shows as possible, but there are some that I skip out on, citing that I will catch them the next time, but the next time never comes. Bands break up. Such is life. But it’s heartbreaking when a band you really like breaks up, and you never have a chance to say goodbye to them. A sold-out 7th Street Entry had the rare opportunity to say goodbye to UK-based Porridge Radio on Friday night. It was equal parts amazing and heartbreaking.

Before I tell you about Porridge Radio, let’s discuss the opening act, Sluice. Sluice is the stage name of Justin Edward Morris, and to say that I fell in love with Justin within the first song of his opening set would be an understatement. Justin’s voice and overall sound is dark and cozy. His deep voice is one of the most emotive voices I have heard in a hot minute, and it instantly draws you into his world with a grasp that is impossible to escape (but that’s okay because it’s such a beautiful world to be stuck in). Rooted in the folk scene, I loved traveling along the journeys that Justin laid out with his words. It was dreamy, but that darkness that radiated from his voice added a layer that almost made you feel like you were traveling into the dark abyss.

Justin was joined on stage by a band that seemed to brighten up his vocals in the perfect way. It changed his set from what could have been super serious and almost depressive into something a bit more infectious and catchy. The way these two separate worlds swirled around in the atmosphere of the sold-out audience was something that I just can not find the right words for as I write this. All I can say is that Sluice had my attention and, although a brand new band to me, instantly had me feeling like I had been listening to their music all my life and didn’t know it.

Although Porridge Radio has been around since 2015, I had never heard their name or music before Friday night at the 7th Street Entry show. Formed in Brighton, England, this band has a sound that has been described as “slacker indie,” and I feel like I couldn’t think of a better way to describe their sound if I tried. It was a laid-back sound, but a slight sense of power and angst came through in the gorgeous vocals of Dana Margolin. Certain words and phrases were emphasized throughout their set, adding a subtle sense of angst to an otherwise beautiful and understated set. It was as if their music was being performed in angles and curves. You had harsh moments that knocked you back on your butt, followed by other moments that would give you this odd sense of flying through the clouds. To say that their sound was beautifully dynamic and engaging would be an understatement.

The fact that Friday night will be my only time spent with this band in real life breaks my heart. Just about two weeks ago, Porridge Radio announced that they would not be recording any new songs and would be disbanding after this current and a European tour that comes next. I don’t know why they called it quits, but it was easy to see that people were unhappy about it. The packed audience was licking up every single word of this band and bouncing to every infectious beat that they performed on Friday night. Although their sound was fairly chill, I loved seeing how people were able to find something in every song to move to, and I feel like that shows the connection that this band has with their fans. Sure, I was new to the world of Porridge Radi,o but that didn’t stop me from feeling like I was seeing my favorite bands of all time. There was just something inescapable in the air that gave you that feeling and by the time the night was over, I couldn’t help but feel this odd sense of pain in knowing that I will never get to experience a Porridge Radio show again.

Porridge Radio’s final EP, ‘Machine Starts to Sing,’ will be out later this month. I may not be able to see Porridge Radio perform live again, but you best believe that I will be buying that EP the day it comes out and listening to it on repeat, just trying to put myself back at the show and into the magic that was radiating from the stage on Friday night.

Line Up:

Sluice

Porridge Radio

Venue: 7th Street Entry

Smell-O-Meter: Nothing Notable

Average Age of the Crowd: 29

Crowd Surfers- None

Stage Divers- None

Mosh-ability- 1 out of 10

Amount of Beer Spilled On Me While Walking Around- 0

Broken Bones- None Noticed

Spotted Flying Through The Air- Nothing

Fights- None Witnessed

Pukers- 0

Passed Out People- 0

Idiots Taken Out By Security – 0

How Many Times I’ve Seen These Bands Before (or at least how many times I can remember)-

Sluice – 0

Porridge Radio – 0

Celebrity Sightings – None

Overall Score – 7.9 out of 10

Show on Deck — The Dirty Nil / Grumpster / House & Home // Magic City Hippies / Mustard Service

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