The Midlands has been a fertile spawning ground for many established and renowned artists and bands, as well as those currently playing their way on the road to success.

One of the more promising from the current crop of UK rock bands, Broken Witt Rebels, has recently been taking their own ‘baby steps’ upon this well-trodden path to glory.

Now armed with a strong new eponymous album to fire through the P.A. systems at venues up and down the land, they are beginning to take greater strides by headlining club dates on their current mini-tour of the UK.

Tonight finds the ‘Rebels’ heading up to tread the boards at The Boston Music Room; a venue that has seen its fair share of now famous bands shape up their acts on the road to stardom.

A healthy turn-out, for a cold Wednesday, enthusiastically greeted the band as they hit the stage. And to warm the cockles a smattering of young ladies, and the more seasoned concert-goers, cheered as the band launched into “Low” with its infectious, singalong chorus already being recognised by one and all.

Danny Core belted out a vocal on ‘Howlin'” as though he had been left outside to freeze in the dog-house. In fact, his heaving lunged delivery on new album song “Breathless” reminded of a slightly callow Joe Cocker in his delivery. He obviously enjoys stalking the stage bellowing into his mic like a blues-belter of yore with that fire in his belly.

I recall seeing the band play a slightly nervy and tense set as the supporting act for Joanne Shaw Taylor at The Shepherds Bush Empire earlier in the year. Tonight, I witnessed an evolution in their stagecraft as they interacted with each other and confidently bounced around the stage. Guitarist James Tranter certainly seems to have come into his own as he played more searing solo’s, also chopping out power chords, to loud effect. Indeed, there is a touch of Kings Of Leon about their southern blues-rock sound that augurs well for the future.

There is a spirit of fun about them that is endearing too, as both Core and Tranter joined the audience for an acoustic/campfire style run through on “Turn Me On”. Mobile phone lights lit up their way as they walked as they strummed through the hall and back to the stage, garnering the loudest cheers of the night.

Stoked by their ramble through the crowd both Core and Tranter re-joined their fiery rhythm section, bassist Luke Davis and drummer James Dudley, to play a blazing “Georgia Pine” followed fast by a screeching take on “Getaway Man”.

Still, there was no let-up as band and audience, now fully warmed to each other, gloried as the trigger was pulled on crowd pleaser “Guns”, which raised the rafters on this famous Dome.

It was best left to bassist Luke Davis to sum up the band’s recent musical odyssey: “When we last played here we played to hardly anyone. You have made our night tonight”. A sentiment returned by their solid fans with loud, hearty cheers.

There’s nothing broken here or that needs to be fixed and, with Snakefarm Records careful nurturing, there is a golden future awaiting these midland maniacs.

Words: Paul Davies / Photos: Eric Duvet

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Broken Witt Rebels
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Event Date: 29-Nov-2017

About The Author

I began my career in journalism at the now defunct, pre-digital Smash Hits magazine, which was situated in London's Carnaby Street. After learning the ropes, I washed up at Vox Magazine, essentially the NME'S monthly magazine, as the Internet arrived into our lives. Thereon, I eventually graduated onto Q Magazine when people still treasured the magazine that they bought. My journalistic career since has been on newspapers at The Times, The Independent/i newspaper, Daily & Sunday Express and, ofcourse, National Rock Review.