The Red Lapels at White Rabbit

It’s bank holiday, the sun has finally arrived and it seems that the party has already started deep in the heart of Shoreditch. Down a small, winding lane off Shoreditch High Street, South East London’s The Red Lapels perform. The area is somewhat like a maze and upon reaching the venue it would be apt to compare the journey to Alice in Wonderland’s Curious Labyrinth, with the Queen of Hearts standing by the door, leading you into the White Rabbit.

The Red Lapels take to a small stage in the corner of the room. Colourful, psychedelic patterns are projected onto the arched and battered ceiling, while a select group of people celebrate the holiday by dancing to the music free from care.

An intimate setup sees charming and cheeky frontman Richard Maddy laughing with the crowd, his strong accent and smart attire highly reminiscent of an East End Mod. His singing voice, however adopts an American accent and although this may seem tacky for most British bands it definitely works in his case – startling and soulful, he hits every note with such strength.

The Red Lapels are the perfect party band, oozing with talent. The fast-paced qualities and classic rock riffs of new single It Ain’t Easy are guaranteed to get your body bouncing. In addition to this, their great take on Creedence Clearwater Revival’s Bad Moon Rising provides the crowd with a good sing along tune, proving the band really have got all you need for a great night out.

They take on Mod culture with enough passion to really revive it, with their Paul Weller inspired attire and mischievous attitude taking you to a different world for the duration of the set. Yet they offer just enough fresh, original tunes to exceed the stereotype making The Red Lapels a band to definitely watch out for in the near future.

Verdict: ★★★★★

Harriet Gibson 

Photos: Jay Shaw-Baker

For more information about The Red Lapels and  future events visit here.

Watch the video for It Ain’t Easy here: