Sorry at The Night Cat
For the first time ever, London band Sorry performed in Melbourne on their first headline tour down under. As fitting a venue as ever, Fitzroy’s Night Cat was the perfect backdrop for the indie-rock five-piece, who pulled in a huge crowd on their Friday night in our city. With their unique blend of post-punk, grunge, and indie rock, the band demonstrated that they are a force to be reckoned with in the ever-evolving London music scene.
Opening the venue that night was local singer-songwriter Chitra, whose soulful vocals got everyone up and moving. Playing a strong set, with singles Go Easy and In My Opinion being huge highlights, Chitra’s complex lyrics had something for everyone. With her incredible storytelling ability and Julia Jacklin-esque voice, the young artist’s set started the night off strong, and with us excited to see what she comes out with next.
The Melbourne-based Radio Free Alice were also on supporting duties that night; taking their opener responsibilities seriously as they amped up the crowds. As energetic as ever, the audience jumped along to their feel-good tracks, including catchy singles I Gotta (Fall in Love), Paris is Gone and set closer Look What You’ve Done. Complete with saxophones, instrument switches and blasting drum beats – Radio Free Alice sure got the night started.l
The atmosphere in the venue was electric even before Sorry took to the stage, with a palpable sense of anticipation hanging in the air. As the first notes of As the Sun Sets rang out, it was clear that Sorry was there to deliver a night to remember. Key to the City and Snakes quickly followed, as the band set the tone for the evening with their signature blend of moody, atmospheric melodies and searing lyrics. Lead singer Asha Lorenz’s haunting vocals, filled with a raw and unapologetic intensity, effortlessly carried the crowd through a rollercoaster of emotions.
The twangy Willow Tree and Screaming in the Rain‘s intense build-up demonstrated the North Londoners’ genreless approach to their art, while their older track Cigarette Packet garnered an eruption of screams from the audience. The band, consisting of bassist Campbell Baum, drummer Lincoln Barrett, and Marco Pini on electronics, provided the perfect foundation for Lorenz and co-vocalist Louis O’Bryen’s dueling guitars. Throughout the set, the intricate guitar work weaved an intricate tapestry of sound, sometimes delicate and dreamlike, and at other times crashing with a sheer force that sent the audience into a frenzy. This was evident on tracks Tell Me and Baltimore – both from their latest release Anywhere But Here – which had everyone swaying and jumping about.
Let the Lights On switched up the pace, with its jaunty guitar work and Barrett’s galloping drums creating the perfect pace for the crowd to dance along to. The brutally honest Closer and sickly-sweet Perfect heralded the show’s ending coming to a close, before Sorry headed offstage just before their encore. The screams of the audience dragged out until the five-piece made their way back onstage for a loaded encore consisting of their huge single Starstruck, and the currently unreleased Jive; which saw the band off with a cacophony of instruments, feedback, and the audience screaming for more. With only two albums under their belt, we’re excited to see Sorry perform back in our city in the near future.