Isaac Indiana Launch New Single, 'Madiba'

I’ve been a huge Isaac Indiana fan for over a year now, ever since I saw their fabulous live set at the Enchanted Garden Ball last summer. Unsurprisingly, I was thrilled when the band announced that the release of their new EP, Memoirs Of A Memory Boy, was to be celebrated with a night of live music where they would perform their new songs for the first time ever. Very exciting stuff!

The event took place at the Cavern, one of my personal favourite venues for its cosy feel and wonderful acoustics. It’s just large enough to still feel like a club but so bijoux that you can enjoy the music from your seat at the bar while taking a well earned break from the dance floor. At Cavern the atmosphere and general aesthetics more than make up for the slightly overpriced drinks. A double vodka lemonade will set you back £3.50, a full pound more than trusty Arena or Timepiece, but, unlike the aforementioned clubs, you can actually succeed in purchasing said drink as opposed to being slowly crushed to death in the depressingly stationary queue, all while being completely ignored by the sullen bar staff. The choice is yours.

Isaac Indiana were supported by PearShaped favourites, Lion The Weak, and local artist, Chris Ostler. Chris Ostler opened the evening with a set of super chilled original acoustic numbers which I could have honestly listened to all night (if I wasn’t so excited for Isaac Indiana, obviously!). The whole listening experience was made extra enjoyable by the fact that Chris looks the spitting image of Jonas Armstrong (think BBC’s Robin Hood), which definitely added a touch of glamour to the proceedings.

Lion The Weak ranked up the tone (and the volume) with their set, which was far more drum and guitar heavy and sounded absolutely fab with the Cavern’s acoustics, drawing everyone to the dance floor in no time. They performed a number of original indie rock songs that inspired some pretty exuberant dance moves both on and off the stage -the crowd were left spellbound by the hypnotic moves of the lead singer in particular - leaving everybody suitably hyped for the main act itself.

Isaac Indiana were on splendid form as always, and despite the excellent performances from their support definitely stole the show. Their fabulous set included both fast beat dance tracks and slower, more thoughtful numbers. I found Madiba in particular to be especially poignant. Written as a homage to Nelson Mandela, both the lyrics and the perfectly executed guitar bridge in this song are absolutely beautiful. Madiba is available to download on iTunes now and is definitely well worth a listen.

Without a doubt though, my favourite song of the evening was Tempest. If I had to use one word to describe this song it would be unpredictable. It completely changes styles halfway through, suddenly becoming much more rocky and guitar-heavy. The effect is very very cool and sounded absolutely incredible live, causing the dancing to transform from a gentle sway to a full on rave in a matter of seconds.

Isaac Indiana finished up the evening with a couple of well-received covers and the crowd was definitely very sorry to see them leave the stage (even after two encores!). While the music was fabulous, what really impressed me about Isaac Indiana was their energy. They had a fantastic stage presence and it was obvious that they were having an absolutely great time up there, which really came through in their music and created a wonderful atmosphere.

If you were unfortunate enough to miss the frivolities on Wednesday, I strongly suggest you get yourself to Isaac Indiana’s next performance as they are definitely not to be missed!