INME @ Redrum, Stafford 22nd January, 2020
Following a strong opening set from Between Static & Silence, it fell to Haggard Cat to provide main support ahead of a headline set from Inme at Stafford’s Redrum venue.
Having evolved from previous incarnations in Baby Godzilla and Heck, Haggard Cat are a two piece that create a visceral and exciting live set whatever venue they find themselves in. To see the band in such an intimate environment was a pleasure, and the band certainly blew any Wednesday night cobwebs away that might have set amongst the crowd. The band release their third record ‘Common Sense Holiday’ later in the year along with a headline show at Dead Wax in Birmingham.
Recently releasing their seventh studio album ‘Jumpstart Hope’, INME are currently touring the UK and on Wednesday evening found themselves headlining Redrum in Stafford.
Opening with ‘Blood Orange Lake’, the band set the tone of the evening early on with crowd pleasers ‘Underdose’ and ‘Single Of The Weak’ getting aired very early on. The band flitted with ease between older cuts as well as new songs from their latest release, with all songs being treated with the same reception and level of crowd participation.
Lead vocalist Dave McPherson proved very approachable and friendly despite suffering from mid tour illness, talking consistently between songs despite saying there wouldn’t be much throughout the evening.
There were some dips throughout the evening that made you start to think the wind has perhaps gone out of the band’s sails of late, such as Dave needing to read lyrics from his phone during a song as well as the overall casual nature of the performance.
Ending the set with ‘Firefly’ and ‘Faster The Chase’ was certainly a way to go out with a bang however, with Dave taking his place amongst the crowd as they serenaded him. It’s no doubt that INME’s popularity will continue to provide the band with a solid foundation in terms of both their recorded and live output, however whether they will ever reach the heights of earlier within their career again only time will tell.
Reviewer: Dan Earl