Peace at Rough Trade East

No wristband, no entry. Anyone hoping to get in last minute to see Peace playing live had better think again; this band are on the cusp of big things. Named by NME and BBC as ones to watch in the coming months, many hope that this four-piece will be the much needed injection of life into the indie scene.

Their whimsical lyrics of love (“follow baby we gon’ live forever”) and masterful guitar control mean that they have hits already beginning to gain mainstream recognition. Their debut album In Love was released earlier this week, produced by Jim Abbiss, who has helped bring Adele and Arctic Monkeys to the forefront of British music. With this kind of backing Peace are on to a winner. 

Much has been said about the music that has influenced the band. They swing between moments of instrumental similarity to current bands such as Two Door Cinema Club and Foals, yet their songwriting sets them apart and is certain to get the girls swooning: “you could be my ice age sugar; you lay me down and make me shiver” (Wraith). Loyal fans of the band get increasingly worked up upon hearing the never-ending list of artists Peace are compared with. Indeed, there are so many comparisons that it would be unfair to say that they have directly plagiarised anyone. They are a swirling composite of all that is good about indie music, spanning the decades. 

Throughout their performance there is a lot of hair swaying about the record store venue, partly from the long-haired, vintage-clad band members, but mostly from the small cluster of dancing teenage fan girls boisterously trying to catch the guitarists’ attention at the front of the stage. They are not alone in dancing to this accessible indie: the excitement surrounding this quartet is infectious, particularly with their performance of Bloodshake. Hands fly into the air as brothers Harry and Sam Koisser, Douglas Castle and Dominic Boyce sing of “hearts in ecstasy”. It really does look like they are about to kick-start a summer of love.

Verdict: ••••

Anne Higgins

For further information about Peace and future events, click here.

Watch the official music video for Wraith here