Review: Man/Woman/Chainsaw and AtticOmatic at The Sebright Arms with Son Estrella Galicia
- HIDEOUS Magazine
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
Words by Tilly Paisley
Upon entering the beloved Sebright Arms on a warm Thursday night, I was welcomed into the first Son Estrella Galicia event hosted there, one that promised both commotion and charm.
The first thing I noticed was that every corner of the room was coated in Estrella Galicia. It was on coasters, T-shirts, neon signs, needless to say, it was the drink of the night. It dripped from glasses and taps and didn’t stop pouring: an exciting project of both good beer and good tunes.
AtticOmatic, a Brighton-based indie dream-pop group, kicked off the night. I headed down into the venue, where I was greeted with delicate vocals harmonising perfectly with soft synth tones. There was a playfulness in their performance, giggles, exchanged glances of excitement, sips between songs. I felt a little jealous not to be part of it. Slowly, people began folding in, allured by the atmospheric soundscapes sustained by intricate guitar riffs and haunting vocals.
Although I was initially seduced by the hypnotic dream state they conjured, it was the harder, faster, rockier songs that intrigued me, songs like “Wait,” a track from their new EP, Fold The World. This one incorporates multiple musical elements and showcases what the group is truly capable of. It was a pleasure to see it live.
They kept the energy and balance of the evening steady, moving seamlessly between lulling and raw, driving sounds. AtticOmatic definitely has something people are looking for, their sound is unique, enchanting, and slightly wonky. I hope the next time I see them, it’s at their own headline show. They closed their performance to a massive round of applause. I imagine most people didn’t know what a treat they were in for, myself included.
By the time Man/Woman/Chainsaw took the stage, the room was filled—packed, but with space to move. The perfect spatial cocktail for a gig. It was hot, and as I swept sweat off my forehead, I was reminded of the sweet fact that everyone in that room felt the same excitement and slight discomfort I did.
The group was electric and bold, unpredictable yet tight. Their sense of push and pull was thrilling, I never knew what direction they’d take. Sometimes they’d slow down and a beautiful violin solo would begin; other times, the room would fall silent, and then everything would explode all at once. The London-based six-piece has been friends since school, something that becomes obvious when you see their musical chemistry live. They moved, jumped, and danced in sync, yet somehow still made the audience feel part of it.
When they teased—and eventually played—“Sports Day,” the crowd entered a hypnotic state of unison head-banging (and head-nodding, for those less keen on a sore neck). I was particularly drawn to the group’s use of vocals throughout the set. They rotated between three members—Vera Leppänen (bass), Billy Ward (guitar), and Emmie-Mae Avery (keys). The role was passed around like a physical instrument, each treating it differently.
They played a lot of new material. I tried digging for some of the tracks I hadn’t heard before but came up short, interpreting that as a hopeful glimpse of future releases. They did, however, play a few of their newly released singles. “Maddog” had a slightly Paramore-ish sound with folky undertones. Vera Leppänen sang so vulnerably that every word was both heard and felt—she spoke with an infectious passion. The violin pierced through during the breakdown, and watching Clio Harwood melt into her instrument was a special moment. As she played, we weren’t in the room with her, the crowd was somewhere else entirely.
The music ended, and I left with a swarm of people climbing back up the stairs, stampeding toward the bar, sweaty and checking Dice for the next Man/Woman/Chainsaw gig.
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