Juveniles and White Lies at Hoxton Square Bar and Kitchen

A myriad of sound and style from French electronic pop group Juveniles and indie/R‘n’B solo project Bipolar Sunshine clash stimulatingly as the support acts for post-punk headliners White Lies at Hoxton Square Bar and Kitchen in East London.

Juveniles exhibit certain magnetism with a high energy and rhythm in a four-song set. Opening with Blackout from their 2012 EP Through the Night, they struggle with microphone feedback but create gripping guitar riffs and a pleasant vocal tone, although the lyrics are indistinguishable.

Strangers, All I Ever Wanted and Fantasy from their latest self-titled album incorporate 80s-like synths, the latter akin to Daft Punk’s Get Lucky.  The ensemble sway and move to the melody, creating an upbeat and lively performance that attracts more viewers as they continue to play – setting the tone for what’s to come.

Celebrating the five-year anniversary of White Lies’ first ever milestone gig at this very venue, the band make their way through the packed crowd to the stage to the sound of Frankie Goes to Hollywood’s Relax and unyielding cheers.

While they perform as a five-piece, they are led primarily by vocalist and guitarist Harry McVeigh, with Charles Cave on bass and backing vocals and Jack Lawrence-Brown on drums. Opening with A Place to Hide from their 2009 debut album To Lose My Life…, fans are ecstatic as soon as Cave and Lawrence-Brown get going. McVeigh’s voice is mellow, cool and collected with the reverb and echo on the microphone highlighting his strong vocals.

Promoting their new album Big TV, they move on to There Goes Our Love Again. Lawrence-Brown’s drumming is astounding—his movements are intense and calculated with every beat powerful and distinct, driving the tune rhythmically while McVeigh’s recognisable sound gets the crowd moving. 

Though lively in their performance of popular tracks like Farewell to the Fairground and Death, with the crowd enthusiastically echoing the lyrics, numbers like Getting Even and Power and Glory start to sound repetitive and comparable. The clichéd lyrical content of First Time Caller is hard to overlook but is made more enjoyable by the calming instrumental coupled with McVeigh’s vocals. Fans are visibly disheartened when they announce their last number Bigger than us and you begin to see why three sold-out shows may not have been enough to appease their following. 

Natasha Fonseka
Photos: Monika Jørgesen

For further information about Juveniles and future events visit here.

For further information about White Lies and future events visit here.

Watch the video for There Goes Our Love Again here: