Live Review: Ali Barter, Sunscreen, Good Pash

A brash start to the evening, Good Pash had our attention. A quick switch of vocals saw a melodic turn, getting us on board with candid tracks about getting drunk and spilling your secrets, and spending too much money on alcohol. Their tracks were grungy yet infectious, evoking a '90s vibe, and the camaraderie among them was admirable. Topping it off with new track Richard and a short cover of Rage Against The Machine’s Killing In The Name left us wanting more. 

Sunscreen, much like their name, were serving up some sweet summertime vibes. Embracing a DIY sound, they served us a set of palpable tunes that transported us back to sunnier times. The addition of synth was a welcome change while Sarah Sykes' sweet vocals held their own and sounded dreamy on top of their garage goodness.

Stepping out in all white, looking like the dream she is, Ali Barter quickly shattered her angelic illusions by kicking off with a new track that features plenty of swear words. 

Barter looks angelic and sounds bubblegum sweet, but her lyrics paint a different story – one of defiance, self-assuredness, and being sick of putting up with the patriarchy. 

Launching into Please Stay and Cigarette, Barter then rallied the crowd, telling us to "liven up!", with her drummer piping up that it was "a school night".

Barter then introduced us to a host of new and utterly delicious tracks. Kicking the guitars into overdrive, the new songs show a slightly different direction for Barter, having more of an unfiltered feel that sees her break away from her usually sweet vocals. A track introduced as 'History Repeating' was an obvious standout. 

Flying solo with an electric guitar in hand, Barter treated us to another new track 'January' and an oldie, It’s Not Real, to which a crowd member responded, "Holy shit!" Holy shit indeed.

Far Away was as fierce and searing as ever, and she followed it up with recently released Ur A Piece Of Shit – dedicating it to her best friends.

As always, Girlie Bits was a highlight with everyone in the crowd singing back. Despite it being a song about inequality, all the men in the room screamed with glee – it was empowering as fuck. 

As Ali Barter promised, she’ll be back soon, and we will sure as hell be waiting.