Fizz live review: making effort and enthusiasm cool again
The Fizz project is a captivating endeavour. Comprising four artists still in the early stages of their careers – Dodie, Orla Gartland, Martin Luke Brown, and Greta Isaac – the band represents a beautiful, albeit somewhat melancholic, story. Feeling burnt out from navigating the music industry, the four friends sought a break while still indulging in their passion for music. They embarked on a holiday to a remote studio on a serene farm, and upon their return, found themselves with an almost unintentional album and a renewed enthusiasm for their craft. On stage at Shepherd’s Bush, their live performance reflects this newfound energy as they share their distinctive perspective on the current musical landscape with their audience.
Upon entering the theatre venue, I was immediately struck by the vibrant colours that seemed to engulf the space. Fizz fans had fully embraced the band’s call to dress up, adorning themselves in elaborate costumes that added to the spectacle. As the band took the stage, it felt as though all four members had stepped into a fantastical realm reminiscent of Dr. Seuss’s imaginative world. A backdrop adorned with intricate paintings of their own creation, dubbed ‘Fizzville’, loomed large, inviting the audience to immerse themselves fully in this whimsical setting. Despite my own subdued attire and the weariness of the day, I couldn’t help but feel a flicker of concern that perhaps this elaborate display would be too much for me to handle. Although I couldn’t quite articulate my unease, my friend summed it up succinctly after the show: “They really play on the line of cringe”.
When the band bounce onto the stage, there is a slight air of Butlin’s Red Coats about it. I hold my breath for a second, but then ‘High In Brighton’ begins. Despite the chaotic energy of their aesthetic and the screams of their crowd, the outfit instantly snap into an incredibly tight performance. Their harmonies are solid as if they’re a sibling group where merging their voices comes naturally. As long-enduring best friends, it’s the kind of musicality that seems to only come from real closeness and understanding of each other. It allows them to write tricky and busy songs but perform them so effortlessly with each other’s limitations and skills in mind.
This is demonstrated again as the band switches positions like a game of musical chairs. Throughout the show, the four members move between mics, guitars, keys, drums and even the occasional clarinet totally seamlessly. Despite the many moving parts, there isn’t a second of awkward organisation.
I think the slickness of the show keeps Fizz on the right side of cringe. If there was a moment of faltering or even one little slip-up, the bubble might have burst, the costumes might have looked silly, and the whole thing could have felt juvenile. But as they roared through upbeat and humour-heavy album tracks like ‘I Just Died’, ‘Strawberry Jam’ and ‘Rocket League’, there was not a moment to lose the smile on my face.
Instead, the show reveals itself as a spectacle in the grandest sense. Against the backdrop of the old theatre, their live set feels more akin to a musical production or an old-school rock show back in the 1970s or ‘80s when the effort was cool and acts like Queen and Elton John made theatricality epic. Standing as a refreshing counterbalance to the current state of the music industry where jobs are disappearing, marketing is everything, and the smothering post-punk wave delivers us dull band after dull band who think nonchalance is the ultimate market of coolness, Fizz put on a show where enthusiasm reigns supreme, and the love of it all is allowed to be displayed. Built as a way to simply have fun as their solo projects began to make them feel jaded, that fun is more than evident in their performance and translates totally to the singing-dancing crowd.
It’ll be interesting to see what comes next for the Fizz members as individuals. One of the nicest parts of the set was the inclusion of their solo works as they took on one another songs. Martin Luke Brown sang a glorious piano version of Dodie’s ‘Lonely Bones’, while Greta Isaac and Orla Gartland shared duties on Gartland’s indie rock track ‘Codependency’. All handed with just as much excitement as their group works, perhaps the project has served its purpose.
When the mood was brought down, I wondered again if this would be the moment they tipped over the line and my generally pessimistic personality might struggle. In a run of their sadder and slower songs, the crowd are parried back to just a sway and a listen. It’s in this moment, however, that they prove that when the band can’t rely on their stage energy, they can rely on their songwriting and skill. As they sing ‘You, Me, Lonely’, a devastating little ballad built of almost choral harmonies, they remind their crowds that under the costumes, these are still some of the most impressive young talents we’ve got.
Never Miss A Beat
The Far Out New Music Newsletter
All the latest New Music from the independent voice of culture.
Straight to your inbox.