YOUNG FATHERS – Trix, Antwerp, Belgium – 22 February 2023

Sassy Scottish trio YOUNG FATHERS released their 4th LP, titled Heavy Heavy, early
this month. The year is still young, but it’s a sterling contender for best-album-of-2023
to Turn Up The Volume‘s exited ears. Take note.

“Heavy Heavy could be a mood, or it could describe the smoothed granite of bass that
supports the sound or it could be a nod to the natural progression of boys to grown men
and the inevitable toll of living, a joyous burden, relationships, family, the natural momentum of a group that has been around long enough to witness massive changes. “You let the demons out and deal with it. Make sense of it after, ” said the band about their new opus.

The once, with their debut full-length (2014), Mercury Prize nominated act
are touring heavily now to bring their new steaming spectacle to the people.

Last Wednesday they blew the roof off in Antwerp with their funk-punk-dance-rap exuberance and astonishing vocal teamwork. Holy moly! What a storming show it was. After the acapella beauty of Only Child they ignite the fireworks with master blaster
single I Saw and never looked back. Neither did the elated crowd.

From there on, assisted by a pounding jungle drum(mer), guitarist/keyboardist Callum Easter (who also was the support act), a grand female soul vox, and digital synths Young Fathers thundered on for 75 minutes with a spot-on selection of booming knockouts from their 4 longplayers.

Stunner ‘Queen Is Dead’ from 2013 LP ‘Tape Two’

As I said their brilliant vocal razmataz is the dominant and overwhelming factor, rollin’ all over the high-powered bass-beat machine. Their non-stop intoxicating ebullience activated all limbs present in the venue and the huge decibels made sure that the whole city of Antwerp could shake their booty along.

Young fathers Alloysious Massaquoi, Kayus Bankole and G. Hastings rule.
Heavy Heavy rules. Their staggering live explosiveness rules. Hail hail.

All together now

SETLIST

1. Only Child
2. I Saw
3. Queen is Dead
4. Wow
5. Rain or Shine
6. Get Up
7. Old Rock n Roll
8. Be Your Lady
9. Sink or Swim
10. Drum
11. I Heard
12. In My View
13. Tell Somebody
14. Rice
15. Geronimo
16. Shame
17. Toy

HEAVY HEAVY

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YOUNG FATHERS: Facebook – Instagram

Vocal magic

(All photos by Turn Up The Volume)