Gigs: Shit Present at Heartbreakers, Southampton
Last night, The Scene had the pleasure of catching Shit Present at The Heartbreakers in Southampton on the first night of their headline UK tour.
Shuffling into a sold-out show, we caught the last song of support band, The Talking Kind, the latest musical project of Philadelphia's Pat Graham - known for his work in bands like NONA, Spraynard, and Big Nothing. Armed with instruments borrowed from Shit Present, the one song we caught from The Talking Kind’s set had the packed crowd nodding along in enjoyment.
Joining the classic Shit Present lineup of Iona Cairns (vocals and guitar), Thom Weeks (guitar and backing vocals), and Ben Cottam (drums) on bass was James Bragg, who produced and mixed their recent debut album, What Still Gets Me. Bragg slotted straight into the band, seeming like he had been a part of it for years. His musicianship was stellar throughout, playing multiple breathtaking basslines. His bass style was unique, playing with such power that it looked like he could snap the strings of his bass. Bragg also utilised many unconventional techniques, such as percussively hitting his bass to create a unique tone.
From opener "Cram the Page" to closer and crowd favourite "Anxious Type", Shit Present played a powerful set that got the crowd emotionally invested throughout, with whole heaps of the packed crowd singing every line right back at Cairns. It struck us that despite their simple DIY setup, the band produced one hell of a noise. Cottam's drumming drove the band on with his strong, forthright style, setting the tone for the rest of the band. His drumming was so strong that he injured a finger and had to get a plaster from a member of the crowd.
Shit Present's packed set featured pretty much everything that a fan of the band could want. Despite being dominated by tracks from their recent debut album, there were still many songs from their earlier 2015 & 2016 EPs, such as "Shit Talk", "Evaporate", and "Bury It". Standout tracks for us included "More to Lose", "Voice in Your Head", "Melbourne", and "Unravelling". Throughout the set, there was a clear connection between the band and the crowd, with a lot of playful back-and-forths from both Cairns and Weeks with the capacity crowd.
From the sidelines, it looked like Weeks was having the time of his life on stage. Happily bobbing along to his band's songs while playing his heart out on guitar. While not playing, Weeks was chatting to the crowd about his memories of Southampton and its alt-music past. Not only from his playing but his interactions with the crowd, you could see that he was living his best life.
At times, it was evident that we were catching Shit Present at the start of their tour. With the band clearly brushing off some cobwebs as they got to work. If we were being slightly critical, we would have liked to see a few more natural transitions between songs, as the ones designed into through the sets second half made their packed set flow.
With Shit Present cramming 15 songs into their set, we had a great time down in The Heartbreakers. We strongly suggest that if you get a chance to catch Shit Present on their current tour, you should go.
Remaining September tour dates
3 Sep: Manchester - Star & Garter
4 Sep: Glasgow - The Flying Duck
5 Sep: Newcastle - The Cluny 2
6 Sep: Liverpool - Lovelocks Coffee Shop
7 Sep: Oxford - Common Ground
8 Sep: Exeter - Cavern
9 Sep: Falmouth - Woodlane Social Club
