WINONA FIGHTER PERFORMING AT SOUTHAMPTON’S ENGINE ROOMS

★★★★☆ (4/5)

WINONA FIGHTER PERFORMING AT SOUTHAMPTON’S HEARTBREAKERS
PHOTOCREDIT: CHARIS LYDIA BAGIOKI

Just ahead of a hot weekend at Slam Dunk, Nashville based rock/punk band Winona Fighter have decided to resurrect punk from the dead with their short UK tour. And it seems to have worked as Heartbreakers was full to the brim with people who came down to Southampton to enjoy their set in prep of their festival appearances this weekend.

First up were Baby Said, one of UK’s fastest rising bands of youngsters. Sisters Veronica and Jess lit up the venue with their glitter guitar and bass as well as their harmonic voices in a set that was equally rock and mellow. The duo had started playing covers before they created their own music, which is punchy and rock, all collected in their newest debut EP and full album. With clear influences from Måneskin (and the band name should say it all), their stage presence and voice capability is impressive. They performed restlessly for about forty minutes presenting all their best songs, laced with guitar solos, intense drumming and alternating or harmonising vocals layered to create a multi-dimensional sound. In between the rocky set there was also a ‘deep’ ballad, which showcased the voices even more, before the set ended on a high with the guitar solo closing off the setlist.

Winona Fighter are a band that brings emo’s greatest combo into reality – with Green Day riffs and Paramore vocals, the American band is definitely making waves in the UK rock scene this year. Set to play Slam Dunk over the weekend, the band have decided to warm up their crowd all around the UK with a high-octane pop-punk and alternative rock blend that had people singing along and dancing through the whole set. Their show was full of energy and audience engagement, as the crowd even sang back some of the songs, something the band said (to my disbelief) ‘has never happened before’. Playing through songs from their latest album ‘My Apologies to the Chef’, it was obvious from the start that the band knows what they’re doing. With shouty and clean vocals, catchy American Idiot-style riffs and hooks, a raw punk energy and a truly authentic presence, Winona Fighter created a show that felt much more grand than it actually was – in the best way possible.

Their setlist consisted of songs such as ‘Drunk Phoebe’, ‘R U Famous’, ‘Attention’, ‘Jumpercables’ and ‘Swimmers Eat’, whilst later on they added ‘Talk’, ‘Jonny’s Dead’ and ‘Don’t Wallow’, all of which had the audience singing along, dancing and jumping almost to the ceiling of the venue. The early summer heat did not stop them from dancing relentlessly on stage, making the sweaty gig feel even more authentic and unique. And even though their show was small for now, the band is poised to expand their reach and solidify their presence in the modern punk scene following their festival appearances. It will be great to see how they perform on a larger stage and across a big festival crowd, because the Southampton intimate gig was definitely one for the books.