Sinkhole

Following Outline’s interview with Sinkhole in February, I went to see the heavy rock band play live in the city.

The Holloway is wonderfully old school and nostalgic. Nestled in an alley, overlooking cobbled streets, this charming venue is surely a depiction of how live music is meant to be. Stepping inside, you’re greeted with a bar/bookshop fusion, with steps leading down to where the magic happens. This small cellar has great acoustics, with the nature of the room size sparking an electric atmosphere, which is so… rock!

As I write this review, I’m still a little deaf in my left ear, but I had a great view as Sinkhole took to Norwich for the second time.

Seven songs made the set list - three popular covers, four exciting originals - kicking off the show with their own rendition of Alice in Chains’ ‘We Die Young’. Sinkhole are proper performers, not just good musicians. The chemistry amongst the band is clear, with each member an integral fifth.

Connor Mumby is a classic front man, with an enigmatic stage presence and natural ability to engage with the crowd; a perfect fit for the genre. Elliott Weston and Freddie Winfield have an inextricable stage partnership, the perfect foil for the other, forming an electric guitar wall of sound that makes the band’s feel so distinct. Tom Anstead’s overdriven bass offers a fresh take on the role; a prominent part of both his own-written, currently unnamed song, and cover of Muse’s Hysteria. Dylan Stone doesn’t put a stick wrong and is the driving engine, with exciting fills and heavy crash cymbal grooves.

The band have built up a catalogue of original songs, three of which were recorded at Plug Studios, Norwich, last week. In our interview, Freddie told Outline that the last time they played an original live, “there was an energy shift in the room.” Whilst I would say that was the case at The Holloway, I would also add that the originals sat perfectly alongside the covers, a compliment to the group’s composition ability. An unnamed song, Snakebite, Sanctified, Quitters Mark and Wirehead were the new picks for the night, and depicted what the band are all about. “We want to play some rock, some metal, that sort of thing,” as Elliott told us.

The finale saw out the set list with Wirehead, the first song the band wrote. It’s one of those they can expect to be playing for the rest of their musical careers together; a hit with both the audience and the group themselves.

The head tilting, clapping, and dancing of the crowd tells you everything you need to know about the response to this gig. Sinkhole really are one to watch; a Norfolk band to be excited about.

They are next playing at The Reindeer pub, Norwich, on the 14th March.