The Oozes at Manchester Deaf Institute.
Do you ever walk into a show and immediately know you’re in a completely safe place? Not all the time right?
I won’t lie, I’ve walked in and within seconds you can tell you’re around people who are from so many walks of life, people who will understand you and support you because that’s what the music that’s getting played here tonight is all about. The people around me are a mix of goths, hippies and punks, a bunch of communities that sometimes tends to be separated but joins together for moments like this.
The Deaf Institute in Manchester is full of young people with a voice that’s dying to be heard. And that’s exactly what the first band on the bill is here to do, Taurine take to the stage and like the crowd, they’re a mix of people with the same love and values, their guitarists’ face is dripping in war paint, vocalist with a black dress and fishnets also sporting a bright red badass bullet, their guitarist just a yellow hoodie with the biggest smile, and finally the drummer in a pair of black pants and a black bikini top with war paint on their face.
The set starts off slow and calm but their vocalist has such an angelic voice you get immediately sucked in, I won’t lie my eyes are on the war paint wearing guitarist because even for a slow song you can tell they have a lot of energy to burn. Angelic voices start slow, but they can really change up the vocals! We go from soft and angelic to punk level screams within a song switch, my eyes went wide with shock but an impressed level shock, their vocals are incredible and hold no limit as through their set they change constantly and effortlessly.
What punk band wouldn’t also tell the crowd how terrible the government is, their set is filled of how much the British government has failed us, and the hard times of coming out as Non-Binary which instantly has the respect and understanding of those around me. The war paint guitarist has a crazed look on their face as they hit incredible riffs and spin around the stage. You take one look at these guys and you get the impression like they’re like the band, The Crawlers. But in my opinion they go harder and heavier!
With a final “Fuck Yeah” from war paint guitarist and a chest bump with the rhythm guitarist the show is done and the crowd cheers them on as the final note hits.
The Oozes take to the stage and there is a whole lot of red. Red hair and a complete head to toe red outfit right out of the 1800s, but the odd one out being guitarist Cherry with a red glittery crop top and jeans. It’s like Bill and Ted went back in time to form the rock band to save the world. To be fair it’s all 80s, it’s punk and it’s kicking this crowd into full gear. Watching this band is like watching a dramatic theater performance, the vocals are dramatic and rough and it’s like there is an entire storyline behind each song.
It’s weirdly enjoyable despite this not being something I would enjoy at all, the sound is old traditional punk with a modern twist with a hint of inspiration from ABBA thrown in. It’s unusual, with the added screams of modern metalcore but more gay.
I won’t lie at times I have no idea what’s going on, right now on the stage I have no idea what’s going on! At this moment in time I’m watching the vocalist finish the song in a breakdown of chaotic laughs on the floor with Cherry bent down next to them and I’m so confused because the song started about them giving themselves a UTI.
It’s interesting to say the least, it’s fun and full of chaos through and through. You come for the music with these guys and stay for the theatrical performance too. Cherry gives me the vibes of Victoria from Maneskin but if Victoria played guitar, I can’t describe the vocalist at all but I see this as a good thing as this incredible human is unexpected and unhinged and I love it!
Go to one of their shows by all means because it’s a hell of a lot of fun, but not if you’re a misogynistic man who can’t face the facts, because that’s what a lot of these songs are about and with those screams you’re gonna get told.
8/10
Words & images: Lauren Allard
