Far From Cliché – The 101 Gig Review
Cat Martin
Very few local bands have made such a memorable first impression on me as ‘The 101’ did at their Lemon Tree gig on September 7th. The six-piece band from Aberdeen have a signature style that is effortlessly charming and will leave you with a wry smile by the time they leave the stage. The opening bands, November Lights and Meraki, both delivered something different to the experience and it’s refreshing to have every artist in the line-up bring their own energy into it.
Kicking off the night with a quarter of the Ayrshire band November Lights, vocalist James soldiered on despite his fellow bandmates being unable to attend. Accompanying his rich vocals with lilting piano melodies, he did an admirable job of opening the gig by showcasing a selection of soft indie-pop songs.With the local up-and-coming band Meraki playing second, the tone change was swift and uplifting. As always, Meraki leave no room for idle listening with their upbeat rhythms and danceable indie-rock guitar hooks. The cover choice of Radiohead’s ‘High & Dry’ seemed well-fitting for the band’s style and frontman Shay Currie’s impressive vocal range.
Sometimes, I find myself becoming harder to impress and even harder to surprise given the sheer volume of local music, but even I will admit that The 101 turned all my expectations on their head. They delivered a funk-influenced, synth pop sound that I’ve yet to hear from any other Aberdeen band. As a result of The 101 having so many multi-talented band members, often during their set they would incorporate different instruments and styles. Possibly my favourite moment of the night was when lead vocalist Dexter Fawcett turned out a fantastic saxophone solo, much to the crowd’s enjoyment. One of the standout songs from the set was ‘Listen No More’, which was preceded by a heartfelt message about the importance of mental health. Anthemic guitar leads and a hopeful message make this particular track one of my personal favourites, along with crowd-pleasers ‘Cliché’ and ‘Better Man’.
Hearing them play, it’s obvious to me why The Lemon Tree was packed with people. From winning the ‘Ones to Watch’ Pride Of Aberdeen award in 2017, to playing the Belladrum main stage in August this year, The 101 continue their meteoric rise in the Scottish music scene.
