This week we caught up with Alt Rock/Grunge band Slothrust at the Deaf Institute in Manchester, Wednesday 23rd.

As the venue slowly filled, it soon became clear this alternative American trio was drawing-in a good fan base. Considering it was a midweek slot in January, this seemed encouraging, especially for a band from across the pond.

The band burst into their set with an energetic intro with vocalist Leah Wellbaum showing off her lead guitar work and the rest of the band backing her up - Kyle Bann (bass) and Will Gorin (drums).

As the set progressed, we realized we weren't listening to your average Grunge/Garage rock band. They delivered a mixture of styles and sounds that captivated us and the audience, blending various genres that switched across Jazz, Blues, Folk and even Country influences - you never really knew what was coming next. Vocalist Leah Wellbaum swapped between lead and rhythm guitar with catchy riffs thrown in. The band was tight and they all bounced off each other really well.

Slothrust held a distorted rock sound mostly throughout, apart from a track they performed mid-set. This came as a surprise when bassist Kyle Bann put down his guitar and got up on the keys. Leah performed a slow number which showed some impressive vocals, backed by a chilled piano melody sounding almost like soul - the audience turned silent.

Their lyrics seem deep, intriguing and in some cases amusing. You kind of feel their words are a subconscious reel of thoughts delivered there and then - this definitely adds to the excitement of the band. In addition, their songs stick in your mind and seem quite distinctive once you have heard them a couple of times.

Amongst the set Leah intermittently engaged with the audience. At one point she said; “What day is it?" - much to the crowds amusement.

Overall we thought the band was very entertaining - we were really impressed! They definitely gained another fan, it wasn’t what we expected.

Slothrust included their popular songs “Double Down”, “Crockpot” and “7:30”, all of which have accumulated over 2 million Spotify streams respectively. “Double Down” features on their latest album, “The Pact”, which was released mid September, 2018. The bands tour continues around Europe, then heads back to the USA in February.

http://www.slothrust.com/

https://www.facebook.com/Slothrust/